The International Judo Federation World Tour’s Grand Slam event in Abu Dhabi delivered immediate success for the Italian national team, securing three podium finishes that underline the squad’s momentum on the road toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. According to reports from La Sicilia, the tournament highlighted standout performances from Sicilian athletes Giulia Carnà and Elios Manzi, alongside Odette Giuffrida.
Giulia Carnà Claims Silver in the 57 kg Division
Palermo native Giulia Carnà, competing for the Gs Fiamme Oro and developed under maestro Fabrizio Fantauzzo at Virtus Villabate, captured a silver medal in the women’s 57 kg category. Just three weeks after securing the European Under-23 title, Carnà opened her tournament campaign by defeating top-seeded German fighter Seija Ballhaus via ippon. She followed up with consecutive victories against Spain’s Marta Garcia Martin and the Netherlands’ Julie Beurskens before reaching the final.
In the gold-medal bout, Carnà faced South Korea’s Huh, ultimately losing by osaekomi during the golden score period. Reflecting on her performance, Carnà expressed mixed feelings about the result. “If I look at today, maybe the silver isn’t enough for me, considering the final and despite the experience of the Korean athlete,” Carnà said, as reported by La Sicilia. “I fought to have fun, because in this long journey of highs and lows that is judo, I understood that the only thing that matters is having fun on the tatami.”
Elios Manzi Secures Bronze at 66 kg
In the men’s 66 kg division, Messina-born judoka Elios Manzi earned a bronze medal for the Gs Fiamme Gialle. Trained initially at Airon Furci Siculo by maestro Corrado Bongiorno, Manzi fought through a demanding bracket in the United Arab Emirates. He claimed three consecutive victories over Moldova’s Radu Izvoreanu, Romania’s Lucian Matei, and Spain’s Adrián Nieto Chinarro.
Manzi’s progress was halted in the semifinals by France’s Walide Khyar, who went on to capture the gold medal by defeating Spain’s Garcia Torne in the final.
Italian Delegation Completes Podium Sweep in the UAE
The Italian team’s successful outing in Abu Dhabi was rounded out by Odette Giuffrida of Cs Esercito, who secured a bronze medal in the 52 kg weight class. The three podium placements reinforce Italy’s competitive standing on the international circuit as the sport builds toward the 2028 Olympic cycle in Southern California.
Carnà dedicated her silver medal to her past perseverance and her coaching staff. “I have this medal in my hands, which represents redemption for me, and I want to dedicate it to the me of a few years ago, and to the me of when I didn’t believe in it and to my coach Fabrizio Fantauzzo, who instead never stopped believing in it,” she stated, according to La Sicilia. She also acknowledged the support of her family, maestro Marco Fantauzzo, mental coach Costanza, and the Fiamme Oro sports group.
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