Judo: Scoccimarro starts the Olympic year in Qatar

Giovanna Scoccimarro travels the world a lot as a judo ace, and sees numerous countries around the world. At home she can check how many she has already seen. “I have a map of the world where you can scratch off countries that you have visited,” reveals the Lessien woman. In 2020, the 23-year-old had little opportunity to expose new spots due to the months of sporting lockdown. But now Qatar will be added. “This is my first time in Doha,” says the judo ace of MTV Vorsfelde.

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Extraordinary but true: for the second time in a row, it is a start into the Olympic year for Giovanna Scoccimarro. In 2020, the Lessien woman secured her ticket for Tokyo with a grandiose appearance at the Judo Grand Slam in Düsseldorf. Then came Corona, the postponement of the games to 2021 and a 272-day break from competition, before the year ended with a surprising EM exit for the 23-year-old. On Tuesday, the MTV Vorsfelde fighter will start the crucial six months leading up to the Olympics at the World Masters in Doha (Qatar).

Decisive because Scoccimarro emphasizes: “I want to continue to achieve good results, to prove to the national coach that he was right to nominate me.” Claudiu Pusa had reacted calmly to her weak EM performance, encouraged her. But what was actually going on in Prague when you lost to Russian Madima Taimazova? “Hard to say, I just think that I was too nervous and couldn’t do what I actually can. I think that was just the biggest problem for me at the moment, that I was not flexible and just adapted to the fighting style adapted to my opponent, “says the 23-year-old honestly. “Everyone who knows me and has seen me fight thought, ‘She has the biggest question mark on her face that has been in a long time.”

But that was 2020. It has been dealt with, ticked off, past. The present gives her the chance to return with full force. The Masters in Doha? A real board! Only the first 36 athletes of each weight class in the world rankings are allowed to start in the Lusail Multipurpose Sports Arena. In terms of qualifying points for the Olympics, it is the most highly endowed tournament after the World Cup.

The tournament is well attended

Before leaving on Friday, Scoccimarro had not taken a concrete look at the starting field. “I think many may not be able to travel because of Corona,” says the 23-year-old. Or it is up to them. This is how the British Judo Association does it, for example. With Sally Conway the world number seventh from Scotland is missing, but the eleventh placed Gemma Howell (England) is at the start.

A total of eleven qualifiers in the 70 kilo class did not start. In addition to Conway, with Chizuru Arai (Japan / No. 4) and Anna Bernholm (Sweden / No. 8) only three judo aces are missing, who are placed ahead of Scoccimarro (No. 9) in the ranking. So the tournament remains top-notch.

Put an exclamation mark

The Lessien woman knows that such a competition is not a matter of course in these Corona times. “You can see it in Germany too, the numbers are high, there were very, very many deaths in the last month and I think we’re lucky that we can even do a contact sport,” says Scoccimarro, who is happy “that we just do.” I would like to use the opportunity to hopefully put an exclamation point for the Olympic qualification again. “

For Scoccimarro, it is the second appearance at the Masters, which actually marks the end and not the start of a sports year. It celebrated its premiere in Beijing (China) in December 2019, where Lessien had to admit defeat to the Spanish Maria Bernabeu in the Golden Score. But her national competitor Miriam Butkereit (TSV Glinde), who is also in Doha, fared little better in the weight class up to 70 kilograms.

To start with a bye

Yesterday’s draw gave Scoccimarro – seeded at number 6 – a bye at the start. Then it’s up to the winner of the duel between Barbara Matic (Croatia) and Alice Bellandi (Italy). For example, the Lessien defeated Matic in 2017 when she won silver at her first European Championship for adults as a 19-year-old in Warsaw, Poland. The MTV ace had to admit defeat against Bellandi at the Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) in 2019.

The favorite in this pool is world number third Sanne van Dijke. Scoccimarro could meet the Dutch in the pool final, the quarter-finals. It would be the new edition of the European Championship finals of 2017. The Lessienerin was countered early for a small rating, then fought doggedly, but in vain. In November 2019, however, she managed to get her revenge in the Bundesliga – she won by Ippon.

At the start Butkereit will meet the Moroccan Assmaa Niang, and if successful, the world number one Eve Marie Gahie (France) will wait for Scoccimarro’s national competitor.

It will be serious for Scoccimarro on Tuesday. Then their competition increases in Doha. She wants to deliver. It would be important for the Olympic qualification and for self-confidence. Nice side effect: after her return she could expose the area of ​​Qatar on her scratch-off world map with a good feeling.