Castro’s Covid comeback

Like so many other sportsmen who have had their opportunities to compete restricted by the impact of Covid-19 Navan based MMA fighter Jeanderson Castro is chomping at the bit to get back to doing what he does best - but for the Brazilian the journey back has been a tough one.

Already with a remarkable story to tell of how his brother had been killed during a random drive-by shooting by the police in his native Brazil and how he was driven from his home country and ended up in Navan where he continued to pursue his dream of being a Mixed Martial Arts fighter, Castro has recently faced another tough battle - taking on, and winning, a fight against Covid.

After almost 10 months in lockdown and with some possible light at the end of the tunnel Castro was struck down by the virus in January and felt the heavy effects that knocked him for six and left him with a fear of what the future impact of long Covid might hold.

"The last year has been so difficult. Being limited to travel no more than 5k from your home, with gyms closed, it has been difficult to get the training done that I need as a professional athlete," Castro told the Meath Chronicle.

"My last fight was one week before the first lockdown last March. I took a bit of a break during that lockdown, but even in those difficult times I had to get back training and it was very difficult.

"I ended up getting Covid and I did have a problem getting back to training, but I am now back to normal and I am training away for my next fight.

"I was due to fight behind closed doors against Ian Coughlan at Clan Wars next week in Belfast, but the Government has decided to postpone the fight until they get the numbers right down, so now we are looking at fighting at the end of April, maybe early May.

"The promotion, Clan Wars, ran a show behind closed doors last December and everything went perfectly and off the back of that success they organsied another show for March 21st, but the Government doesn't want to take the risk."

While Castro is now ready, willing and able to fight that wasn't the case earlier this year when he was hit hard by Covid-19.

"The first three days after I contracted Covid was very tough. My body was absolutely broken apart by it, I couldn't even move out of my bed for three days it was terrible, but after four or five days of self-isolation I started to get my head right and I was determined to start doing a bit of exercise in my room to get my body moving," recalled Castro.

"My body started adapting and recovering and when I eventually got out of self-isolation I was able to get out of the house and go on a 5k run. Then I started to hit a few bags again and as my body started to get back to normal I recovered well.

"My body is still feeling the effects of the Covid. When I wake up in the morning I still feel tired, it's not the same tiredness you would feel after exercising, it is more like the heavy tiredness you feel after doing a days work.

"My body feels really heavy and it is really tough, I certainly wouldn't wish this illness on anybody else. I'm 30 years old, I'm training two or three times a day and am very fit, but I still got Covid and it dropped me down.

"It really got me thinking how this disease could really effect older people and people who might not be as fit and healthy as I am, it really is a terrible illness.

"Recovering from Covid is tough, but for me it is a mental game. In my sport there is a lot of moves that you have to have, but 85 per cent of it is a mental game, so I had to get my head right after having Covid.

"It was a case of just throwing myself into my training, but it was very, very tough, especially the body pain from the virus. I lost weight when I got Covid and it was tough to put it back on, it was tough to get motivated.

"When I first got offered the chance to fight I decided not to take it because I was worried how my body would react. However, I made a huge effort to get my food right, hydrate perfectly and train lightly and slowly and get myself ready to go again - and here we are now, I'm ready to fight tomorrow.

"It was just all about taking it step-by-step and doing things smart. There are so many people out there who are getting Covid, so I had to be smart and listen to my body. I couldn't just stay at home and watch TV, I had to go for a walk, go for my runs, do some exercise. That all helped built up my strength again.

"I didn't fear that Covid would end my career. As a professional fighter I get health check-ups on my body, my brain, my lungs every couple of months. My Doctor says that I am a healthy man so from that point of view I never really worried that Covid would force me out of the sport.

"However, the only thing I am afraid of are the longer lasting effects of Covid. Nobody knows what we are fighting about. Now I am ok, but I don't know how my body, how my lungs are going to react in the next four or five years, that is my issue."

With Castro's Clan War battle against Coughlan put on hold for few weeks the Brazilian is working hard to maintain his focus and he insists that when the fight is refixed he will be ready to go.

"I tell my coach everyday that I feel like a new man because of the motivation I have now, I now have something to look forward to after being in lockdown for so long," he said.

"I am training three times a day and my body is giving me what I am looking for. I am well prepared, I do five or six rounds of work in the morning, go home for something to eat and shower, watch a bit of TV and then after two or three hours again I go back to training again to do other things.

"My friends reckon I look like a scary dude, so I'm ready to go tomorrow if they would let me fight tomorrow, but for now I have to wait until the end of April.

"I am happy with where I am. I look at the situation we are all living right now and realise important life is.

"Now almost everything has been taken from us. Before Covid nobody really cared about tomorrow, but now they realise how important life is and how we need to look forward. People need to look out more for friends and family and understand just how important life is," concluded Castro.