Matilde Lauria, 54, judoka i is ranked seventh in the -70 kg category, coming from 19th in the ranking, second in category B1, at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
A dream that came true after many years of fighting, not only on the mat, but above all in everyday life. Matilde became visually impaired at the age of three due to malignant myopia which, over the years, has worsened and after sight he began to lose his hearing as well.
A woman who has never given up
Despite the obstacles, this unstoppable woman never gave up. Matilde is the mother of Paola, Marco and Gabriele e from an early age she distinguished herself in sport until she became a judo teacher for blind children. Today she is a globally recognized Paralympic athlete.
“After all the effort of learning to live in the dark, I also started to lose my hearing. I have resigned myself to blindness, but not to deafness”She said moved. “Lowering the volume of life is unnatural, unbearableAnd. The doctors have warned me that in the future I could permanently lose my hearing. Not being able to hear footsteps is the biggest obstacle I face in competitions and in life. For this I have requested the support of the Lega del Filo d’Oro, the tactile LIS, the typing and the Malossi system and with the help of a volunteer I am perfecting the use of Braille to communicate with my children and with the world that surrounds me”.
Matilde started practicing the martial art of judo about 20 years ago thanks to her son Marco and her teacher, but since she was a child her father has transmitted her love for sport. encouraging her to believe in herself and in her potential.
“Judo has given me a lot: direct contact with the opponent, balance, posture and has allowed me to get revenge against society: because it is the prejudice of others that makes us disabled, we are not” . Matilde went to the Tokyo Paralympics to show the many children she trains that even with disabilities you can do great things.
In 2016 he asked the Lega del Filo d’Oro for help
In 2016, when partial hearing loss took over from blindness, Matilde decided to turn to League of the Golden Thread, which has become a second family for her and which has allowed her to work on a personalized path, which is then carried out thanks to the Territorial Offices, where operators and volunteers never leave those who need help alone, even in the protection of their rights .
“This woman of extraordinary strength is an example for all people che we help and his outstanding achievement makes us proud of the work we have been carrying out for over 56 years“ say the representatives of the Lega del Filo d’Oro
Matilde Lauria suffered a lot from the lockdown measures
Like all deafblind people, Matilde mainly uses touch to communicate and get to know her surroundings. The period of the lockdown and the social distancing imposed to contain the pandemic represented yet another huge obstacle. The closure of the gyms prevented her from training, but even in this difficult circumstance Matilde did not lose heart and as soon as it was possible to go out in the open air he resumed training with what he had available, in the midst of nature.
After her sports career, Matilde wants to devote herself completely to teaching judo to children and teenagers with her same disability. For her, being a model for those who face her own challenges is more important than a podium and any medal.
Matilde Lauria is the only deaf-blind athlete to have competed in judo at the Paralympics, without being able to use the hearing aid during the fights. It was a feat, but thanks to the support of those who have always believed in her and in her residual abilities, she managed to fight against darkness and silence, first of all defeating the most formidable adversary of all: herself and her fears.
