The Italian judo team immediately smiled on the first day of the junior world championships in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. After the silver at the European Championships in Estonia, an excellent Alessio De Luca achieved an encore of medals with the bronze at the world championship. Having reached the quarter-finals of the 66 kg with victories over the Bulgarian Kristian Genov (ippon) and the Uzbek Nizomiddinxuja Toshpulatov (three penalties), the Trieste native lost against the Japanese Shuntaro Fukuchi (two wazari) and in recovery he overcame the wazari of Kazakh Magzhan Alzhanov. Completing the twenty-year-old’s masterpiece was the final for third place, which saw him as the protagonist against the rocky Uzbek Zamohshari Bekmurodov.
An exhausting match for De Luca, who chose the strategy of anticipating, always preceding his opponent’s action. After avoiding a reaction from the Uzbek, the Italian went to the ground, staying behind him and, with a quick action of his hands, tightened his neck until he surrendered. “I’m really happy with the medal – commented De Luca – which represents the closing of a circle, that of youth competitions”. Good fifth place, however, for Rebecca Valeriani. In the 48 kg the Italian gave her all and overcame the Belarusian Aryna Makeyenka with three sanctions, then the Hungarian Tamara Harsvolgyi (wazari) and, in the quarterfinals, the English Summer Shaw. A series of victories interrupted in the semi-final with the Japanese Sachiyo Yoshino, who passed with wazari and three penalties, as well as in the final for the bronze, with the Russian Kristina Dudina who won with sumi gaeshi wazari continued in immobilization.
“Today was an intense day full of emotions – said Valeriani – even if the regret for not being able to get on the podium is strong, I am still proud of myself for having shown that I can compete with the strongest. I learned a lot from this experience and I can’t wait to get back on the tatami to continue doing what I like most.”
Seventh place instead rewarded Vincenzo Manferlotti’s race in the 60 kg. After de ashi barai’s ippon in the golden score over Christopher Velazco (USA), the Italian also clearly prevailed over the Armenian Arshak Bekchyan, then stopping in the quarterfinals with the Uzbek Murodil Murodillaev and in recovery against the Kazakh Talgat Orynbassar. Also competing in the 60 kg is Francesco Sampino, stopped by disqualification with the Colombian Jeronimo Pino Balbin.
Still on the women’s side, Sofia Mazzola competed in the 48 kg. After the success in the first round over the Turkish Zilan Ertem (three shido), the Italian lost by ippon to the Chinese Xinran Hui, who then won the title at the expense of the Japanese Yoshino. A victory in the 52 kg also for Ilaria Finestrone, who won by ippon over Arina Gazakova (Turkmenistan) only to be eliminated by the Azerbaijani Aydan Valiyeva. Same fate as Micaela Sciacovelli who, after the clear victory over Yi-Hsi Shen (Taipei), found the Japanese Iroha Oi, who later won the category title. Finally, the journey of the 66 kg European junior champion Valerio Accogli ends in the round of 16, defeated by wazari by the Japanese Kairi Kentoku, then silver.
Tomorrow, October 3, it’s the turn of the 57 kg with the Italians Giulia Carnà and Michela Terranova, the 63 kg with Sara Corbo and Savita Russo and the 73 kg with Fabrizio Esposito and Manuel Parlati.
#World #Championships #Italy #starts #bronze #Alessio #Luca
–
