When a sportswoman emphasizes in the interviews that her only goal remains to put the most precious metal around her neck in Paris 2024, it means that she has very clear ideas and she is certainly not lacking in determination. Veronika Toniolo represents one of the most crystalline talents nationally in the judo discipline. And it will be our main arrow in the bow in the -57kg category for the Five Circle Pass race.
“Veve” (as it is also known) was born in 2003 from a Judoka Family: The coaches are his father Raffaele Toniolo – also a member of the technical staff of the Italian national team – and mother Monica Barbieri, herself a former judoka. She is currently a member of the Triestina Gymnastics Society.
In 2016, Veronica won her first Italian championship and in the years that followed, alongside winning five other Italian titles between U15, U18 and U21, she achieved prestigious results as a cadet, including team gold at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) from Buenos Aires 2018 (finishing fifth in individual competition), silver and gold at the European U18 Championship and gold at the World U18 Championship, all in the -52kg weight class. Arrived in the same season (2019) and at just 16 years old , which means there is still one year left to play in this age group.
The 19-year-old’s move to the U21 category coincided with the most difficult period of the pandemic, but after eight long months of lockdown without a race, she returned to her path and even competed in a senior race (absolute debut) in the new – 57- kg category and won it (European Cup in Dubrovnik in October 2020).
Throughout 2021, the Giuliana top results alternated between the senior category and the U21 category. In the latter case, the fifth place in both the European Championships and the Judo World Championships in Olbia stands out.
In this season Toniolo continued to climb up the world rankings, achieved great results such as fifth place at the Grand Slam in Tbilisi, victory at the European Junior Cup in Poznan and about a month ago the bronze medal at the World U21 Championships in Guayaquil (remember that in judo even the junior competitions have points for the collect world and Olympic rankings). Veronica is currently ranked 27th in the senior world rankings (1292 points) and second in the junior rankings, also in the -57 kg category.
Now the Blues are preparing for the most important date of the season, ie Senior World Cup in Tashkent The beginning of October. To continue cultivating his dream and actually his main goal: the most precious metal in Five Circles.
PREVIOUS EPISODES OF WILL BE CHAMPIONS
Maurizio Contino
Photo: IJF
