The great international judo circuit responded “present” to all the enthusiasts who, on Friday 30 December, packed the stands of the Judo Club gym in Alghero. The 26th Riviera del Corallo Trophy, an international men’s judo team competition, was a success with the public and entertainment, thanks to the top-level performances offered by the athletes of the five competing nations (Italy, Moldavia, Hungary, Romania and Portugal ) and of the two delegations of Sardinia and Sicily.
The predictions of the eve have been respected. In fact, the Moldovan delegation climbed to the top step of the podium, a very strong team. Alim and Adil Osmanov (66 kg and 81 kg), Adrian Veste (73 kg), Catalin Marian (90 kg), Alin Bagrin (+90 kg) and Victor Sterpu, showed all their value in a series of fights that they always ended up in their favor. A “steamroller” team that will surely be the one to beat in the near future also in the other international events.
Italy, holders of the trophy and accompanied in Alghero by Salvatore Ferro and Gaetano Spata, had to settle for third place, despite the excellent performances of Giuseppe De Tullio in the 66 kg category and Flavio Petruzzelli in the 73 kg category. To complete the good blue performance Samuel Salvo (81 kg), Leonardo Piccolo (90 kg) and Tommaso Fava (+90 kg).
The Sardinian delegation, on the other hand, slipped to the last place in the standings, beaten by Italy in the first round. But, before giving up, Lorenzo Melini (66 kg), Francesco Casula (73 kg) and Leonardo Michele Urru (81 kg) showed great determination and the national team had to sweat a lot to obtain qualification. Much better was the other delegation in the race, the Sicilian one, which, with Francesco Sampino (66 kg), Gabriel Fiorentino (73 kg), Emilio Tindaro Bongiorno (90 kg) and Luca Loiacono (+90 kg), created a final for third and fourth place against Portugal nothing short of spectacular, and then won with great merit.
The final classification of the 26th Riviera del Corallo Trophy therefore saw Moldova in first place, Hungary second, Italy and the Sicilian delegation tied for third, Romania and Portugal tied for fifth, and the Sardinian delegation seventh.
The performances of the great champions who gave a show on the tatami of the Judo Club of Alghero were certainly favored by an impeccable organization. Master Gavino Piredda with his staff from the Arti Marziali Sardegna sports club have once again demonstrated all their professionalism in organizing an event that is now one of the most important at an international level. And big surprises are expected next year: the ambition of Maestro Piredda and his collaborators is to bring the Japanese national team, the elite of world judo, and the delegations of France and Spain, other top-level teams, to Alghero.
