Ivan fled the war in Ukraine at just 14 years old. He greeted his mother and father who were fighting on the front with the anguish and pain of someone who had to leave their family, friends and their homeland to save themselves. He arrived in Castelfiorentino, a guest of his uncles, bringing with him a huge wound. Ivan doesn’t speak Italian, but he has a great passion: judo, which he also practiced in Kharkiv. And so every morning he goes to school and in the afternoon he trains at the Judo Kodokan Empoli. And here he cultivates the values of sport, such as friendship, respect, the culture of peace. Healthy principles that go far beyond sporting endeavors.
“We adopted him as a son with a particular affection – says his teacher, Alessandro Di Clemente –. They were really difficult months for him and we gave him great support”. So Ivan manages to distract himself a bit, trains with great intensity and concentrates on judo, spending time with the coach and his new teammates who help him not to think about a war that continues to sow death and destruction. It’s not easy for him to keep up with his classmates, between the language barrier and the inevitable disorientation of the first few months. But Ivan doesn’t give up, he wants to fight and he wants to win. His motivation is great and his new judo partners stay close to him in moments of discouragement and encourage him not to give up. After a few months, Ivan manages to participate in some competitive competitions and even gets the satisfaction of getting on the podium on more than one occasion. “But Ivan’s greatest victory was becoming in all respects a member of the Judo Kodokan Empoli family”, his teacher continues. A year after his arrival, Ivan returns to Kharkiv, where the situation improves while remaining critical. He finds his family again and continues to cultivate his passion for judo, without ever forgetting the very strong bond that has now been created with Judo Kodokan Empoli. “We talk two or three times a week – continues the teacher –. He sends me training videos and updates me on his victories”. And in the last few days a special gift has arrived for the Empoli club from Ukraine: it is a yellow and blue flag with a dedication from Ivan’s father, on a fundamental day: that of the liberation of the village of Obuchiv from the Russian forces.
2023-11-19 04:41:17
#strongest #friendship #war
