4 Grand Slams, the various Continental Championships and the Abu Dhabi World Championship. These are the last main events on the international judo calendar in view of the next edition of the Olympic Games. In all, theoretically, therefore, a maximum of 6700 points remain available between now and the end of the Olympic qualification period towards Paris 2024.
Many things can still change in the rankings by the deadline of June 23rd, even if the opportunities are starting to run out and some athletes are already practically certain of the five-ring ticket. In Italy, after the recent Linz Grand Prix, direct qualification is now very close (or certain) in eight weight categories: Assunta Scutto in -48 kg, Odette Giuffrida in -52 kg, Veronica Toniolo in -57 kg, Alice Bellandi in -78 kg, Asya Tavano in +78 kg, Manuel Lombardo in -73 kg, Antonio Esposito in -81 kg and Christian Parlati in the -90 kg.
In the coming months, other athletes who are currently in the balance or forced to make a difficult comeback to move up the rankings and fly to France will try to add to this list. To date the Bel Paese would be just inside in the -66 kg (with one between Elios Manzi and Matteo Piras), while Gennaro Pirelli is out by 221 points and would be fished out via continental quota in the -100 kg.
Right now Italy would be excluded in four categories: -60 kg and +100 kg for men, -63 kg and -70 kg for women. Desperate situation in the men’s heavyweights, while for the rest everything is still open. Andrea Carlino and Angelo Pantano are not so far from the pass zone in the -60 kg, while the Italians’ chase promises to be more complicated in the -63 kg (Flavia Favorini has over 1000 points gap from the last qualified) and in the -70 kg ( Irene Pedrotti and Martina Esposito have to recover around 600 points on the last available place). Obviously, by regulation, if Pirelli were to return to the direct qualification zone it would automatically free up the continental quota, thus guaranteeing an additional chance for this group of judokas.
2024-03-12 08:16:57
#Judo #Italians #balance #qualification #Paris #Olympics
