It’s a nice fifth place that Linda Politi obtained in the 78 kg al Grand Slam ad Antalya. A fifth place at the end of five ‘tough’ matches from which she emerged victorious three times, with the American Nicole Stout, the Polish Beata Pacut-Kloczko and the South Korean Lee Yunseon. It was stopped by Guusje Steenhuis (Ned) in the quarterfinals and Patricia Sampaio (Por) in the final for the bronze, but the satisfaction that Linda Politi she expressed at the end of the match: “I’m proud of the match I did, only in the final did I get caught off guard in the first seconds of the match, and that shot upset me a bit… When you get there so close, one would like to leave with a medal around one’s neck… Anyway, let’s go on, I thank the Carabinieri Sports Center, the staff, the coaches and all my teammates”.
“Linda did a great race today – he said Raffaele Toniolo, the blue coach who followed her – from the first meeting she has always remained solid and focused and, even when she found herself at a disadvantage, she has always known how to remain lucid. Too bad about the final, but still congratulations to her. Even today we have many doubts about a couple of sanctions (the first and second) imposed on Genny. It’s a shame because in this way situations are created that you can’t then resolve”.
“Linda is the most beautiful example of humility and work that there can be in our environment – the Carabinieri coach commented instead Matthew Marconcini– she began a journey that has seen her grow and now we at the Carabinieri Sports Center staff (of which she is the Captain) are happy that she stood out in a Grand Slam and come within a whisker of a very important medal… let’s continue with the work and with his desire to do and move forward! Congratulations to her and to the entire Sports Center!”.
Nothing to do instead for Nicholas Mungai, defeated in the 90 kg by a de ashi barai of the French Max Laborde in the golden score and not even for Gennaro Pirelli who, in the 100 kg, after overtaking the Brazilian Rafael Buzacarini, passed in seconds from joy of the ippon scored with firm tsuri komi goshi with one hand on the Serbian Bojan Dosen to the disappointment for the annulment of the ippon to be awarded the third penalty because the other arm acted as a barrier to the opponent’s leg.
The Italian delegation therefore closes the Turkish Grand Slam with the gold of Manuel Lombardo and the fifth place of Linda Politi and the eighth place in the medal table for nations.
-> TABLES OF THE THIRD DAY
