Italy’s Judo triumph in Baku Grand Slam
Italy’s judo team delivered a stunning performance at the Baku Grand Slam, securing a hard-fought bronze medal in the 90kg category. Kenny Badel, the 24-year-old from Pordenone, etched his name into the record books with this career-defining achievement.
Baku Grand Slam: A Medal for Italy
Badel’s journey to the bronze medal was a testament to his skill and resilience. He navigated his pool with impressive victories,securing wins over Australian danny Vojnikovich and neutral Mansur Lorsanov,and also Uzbek Azizbek Avazmuradov. Though, his semifinal match against the formidable japanese Murao proved too challenging, leading to a setback. Undeterred, Badel fought valiantly in the bronze medal match, defeating Finnish Artur Kanevets with a combination of Waza-Ai and two Yuko points.
Other Italian Performances
- Giorgia Stanglin finished fifth in the women’s 70kg category,showcasing a strong performance in her pool matches against Turkish Fidan Ovello and Australian Aoife Coughlan. Unfortunately, she was stopped in the semifinal by Romanian Serafima Moscalu.
- Manuel Parlati, competing in the men’s 73kg division, narrowly missed a podium finish, settling for seventh place.
- Veronica toniolo, in her first competition of the New Year World Judo Tour, started in the 57kg category. She secured a victory over Azerbaijani Fidan Gasimova but lost to brazilian Jessica Lima. In the repechage,she defeated Georgian Eteri Lipartiani,but ultimately fell short of a bronze medal against Serbian Marica Perisic.
- Giulia Ghiglione, competing in the 48kg category, also had a strong showing. She defeated Azerbaijani Leyla Aliyeva but was stopped by Swedish Tara Babulfath in the semifinal. A victory over Brazilian Natasha Ferreira in the repechage was not enough to secure a bronze medal,as she lost to Serbian Andrea Stojadinov.
- Valerio Accogli placed seventh in the 66kg category, while Giuseppe De Tullio and Biagio D’Angelo did not advance as far.
Tunis African Open: Pelligra’s Gold
Italy’s success extended beyond Baku. Vincenzo pelligra claimed a well-deserved gold medal at the Tunis African Open in the 81kg category.His impressive run included victories over Rayen Mejri, David Popovici, arslen Benhaoua, and ultimately, Elyas Parhizgar in the final.
samorin Cadet European cup: Mixed Results
Italy’s performance at the Samorin Cadet European Cup was less prosperous, with only Luca Chiarella coming close to a medal, finishing near the seventh place area.
