I Budapest World Championships have now gone to the archive and with these the long judo Olympic qualification process for the next Tokyo 2021 Games has also been exhausted. The final rankings will be published in a couple of days, but Italy is already certain to have reached the five-circle pass in eight individual weight categories and with the team for the Mixed Team Event.
Overall positive balance for the tricolor selection involved in the world championship, also in light of the heavy absences by Odette Giuffrida (vice-Olympic champion and n.4 in the world in 52 kg), Christian Parlati (European bronze in charge in -81 kg) and Fabio Basile (winner in April of the Grand Slam of Antalya in 73 kg), who they decided to skip the race to complete the preparation in the best possible way in view of the key appointment of the five-year period.
After two consecutive dry editions, Italy returned to win a medal in a Senior World Cup thanks to Manuel Lombardo, silver in the category up to 66 kg. The 22-year-old from Turin did not dominate as far and wide as at the Lisbon European Championship, but he still managed to push himself to the final act (where he lost to the phenomenal Japanese Maruyama) proving he can win matches in multiple ways and confirming its solidity in the international 66 kg elite.
Encouraging performance at Laszlo Papp Budapest Sports Arena also for Francesca Milani, Nicholas Mungai and Giovanni Esposito, all eliminated one step away from the quarter-finals and consequently from the certainty of at least being able to access the repechage for the bronze. The first two still reached the goal of the eve, winning the qualification for Tokyo, while the 23-year-old Neapolitan needed to reach the final to overtake Basile in extremis in the 73 kg ranking.
Single result below expectations for Maria Centracchio and Alice Bellandi, who, however, manage to cross the most important goal (the Olympic pass) even with a bit of luck at the end of a path characterized by various ups and downs. Finally, to record the impressive demonstration of superiority of Japan over the rest of the world, with a monstrous loot of 6 golds (out of 15 events) and 12 overall medals obtained without deploying elements of the Olympic team.
Photo: IJF
