CHICAGO – Reigning World Champion Jose Vitor Leme is set to miss his third consecutive Unleash The Beast event this weekend because of his core muscle injuries dating back to last season, but the 25-year-old believes he is getting closer to making his 2022 season debut.
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Leme hopes he will be ready to return to competition and begin his world title defense on Jan. 22-23 at the PBR Gwinnett Invitational in Duluth, Georgia.
It is good news for Leme, who admitted to PBR.com this week that he was “surprised” to learn he would not need to undergo surgery.
Leme has since upped his rehabilitation process and is rehabbing at Fit-N-Wise Rehabilitation Performance Center in Decatur, Texas, as he did last year before the 2021 PBR World Finals.
Leme said that his right groin is getting better every day and that he feels close to being ready, but he also understands he cannot rush back too soon.
“I’m feeling good,” Leme said. “I am just waiting for the correct time to be back 100%. I don’t want to push it too hard and take a risk to hurt it again. I am doing therapy and exercises to make it strong again.”
Expectations are once again high for Leme after he put forth one of the greatest seasons in PBR history last year.
Leme set or tied six PBR records in 2021: most round wins in a season (21); most 90-point rides in a season (24); first perfect 50-point rider score; highest-marked qualified ride of all time (98.75 points on 2021 YETI World Champion Bull Woopaa); highest average ride score for a season (89.82 points); and most event wins in a season (tied with 8).
2021 was pure domination from Leme. He was victorious at 40% of the events at which he competed, went 49-for-71 (69.01%), and ended the season with 12 consecutive rides.
Leme will now look to etch his name further into the PBR record books by becoming the first rider to win three consecutive world titles, while also potentially joining Adriano Moraes and Silvano Alves as the only three-time champs in history.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media