While waiting for the first tournament of the season, scheduled from 11 to 13 January in Doha, the time has come to analyze the situation of the Italian national judo team in the qualification path for the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games. Following the postponement of twelve months of the five-circle appointment, the IJF (International Federation of Judo) has set a new deadline valid as the last day to get points in the Olympic ranking. Everything still open until June 28, 2021, although at the moment there is great uncertainty regarding the composition of the World Tour calendar.
The main unknown is therefore inevitably linked to the number of events that will actually take place between now and the end of June, in the hope that the global health situation will allow the organization of some Grand Prix and Grand Slam after the January Master. Italy, to date, would be qualified for Tokyo in 6 weight categories (out of 14 total), but this figure can still change according to the next results of the blues in the balance. Manuel Lombardo, n.1 in the world of 66 kg, e Odette Giuffrida, No. 4 in the 52 kg ranking, are in fact the only ones already certain to represent the Bel Paese in Japan in their respective individual competitions.
Quite favorable but not definitive situation in the men’s field for Fabio Basile (73 kg) and Christian Parlati (81 kg), who will try to secure a place in the qualifying area and defend themselves from the comeback of Giovanni (73) and Antonio Esposito (81). For the latter, it will be really crucial to score heavy points in Qatar in an attempt to reduce the gap in the standings with respect to teammates, because each nation will be able to field a maximum of one athlete for each category in the Olympic tournament.
Tricolor selection virtually qualified directly even in the 63 kg with Maria Centracchio, however, called to a change of gear after a bad 2020 to secure its position in the ranking – increasingly shaky – from the attacks of various foreign opponents and the compatriot Edwige Gwend (for the second moment of the excluded 237 points behind the Molise). Instead, a head-to-head duel is looming between Alice Bellandi and the Belgian Gabriella Willems to grab the last direct pass available in the 70 kg, with the Brescia 96 points away from rival.
The 2019 Junior World Champion would still be qualified for the Olympics at the moment thanks to continental share, but the goal is to fly to Tokyo from the main gate in order to allow another Italian judoka to take advantage of the “repechage”. In this sense, the first blue on the waiting list is definitely Nicholas Mungai (virtually out of the Games right now), which hopes to eventually grab the vacant continental quota to fly to Japan in the 90 kg category.
Definitely uphill road for all the others, with Francesca Giorda forced to obtain a couple of important exploits to get back into the race in the 48 kg after missing the qualification for the Master by a whisker. Chance at a glance in the other races, despite Giorgia Stangherlin’s recent excellent fifth place in the European Championship in -78 kg, barring a sensational progression in extremis (if the calendar allows it) by an athlete currently off the radar.
Photo: EJU
