There are the silver medals of Kenny Bedel in the 81 kg and bronze of Martina Esposito in the 70 kg on the second day for judo competitions at the Mediterranean Games ad Not now. The day is therefore certainly positive, even the party would have been great with two other possible medals, but with Manuel Lombardo e Nicolle D’Isanto both were forced to digest fifth place in 73 and 63 kg respectively.
It was a ride that ended with the silver medal that of Kenny Bedel who, in the 81 kg, after placing three ippons on the Portuguese Manuel Rodrigues, the Moroccan Achraf Mouti and the Spanish Alfonso Urquiza Solana, sold for wazari in final with the very strong Turkish Vedat Albayrak, number three in the world rankings.
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“Race of authority for Kenny – said coach Raffaele Toniolo– who flew smoothly to the final demonstrating a good judo and no fear despite this was only the second race after the absence from the mat since March 2021 due to a bad injury. Final with Albayrak champion of Europe 2021 which saw Kenny always ahead with the Turkish who was allowed to defend himself and that’s it. On a confused action, the Turkish marked waza ari and contained Kenny’s impetuosity to the end “.
Bronze medal for Martina Esposito who overcame the French Kaila Issoufi in 70 kg before being stopped by the Slovenian Anka Pogacnik and thus find herself with the road paved for the bronze medal since the Croatian Lara Cvjetko was disqualified in the semifinal and put out of the race.
“I’m happy to be back on the podium after a series of no races – she said Martina Esposito– although I’m certainly not happy with the match I lost in the quarterfinals with the Slovenian because I could manage it better, but you learn from mistakes and today I found both positive and negative sides, on which I still have to improve. This medal is just a small brick that is part of the big wall I want to build. I thank Francesco Bruyere who followed me today in the race and gave me the right energy to make me feel like myself again, the Carabinieri sports group that always supports me and also my teammates. Thanks to my family, my boyfriend, the Star Judo Club and in particular my mentor Gianni Maddaloni, I always carry them all in my heart ”.
Fifth place also for Manuel Lombardo who first stumbled in the quarters of 73 kg with the Tunisian Aleddine Ben Chalbi, when with two shido each he was assigned the third sanction to the golden score and then, in the final for the bronze he was surpassed at the golend score by the Kosovar Akil Gjakova . He had made a decisive recovery with an ippon on the Libyan Abdulati Abushagur and another on the Slovenian Martin Hojak, when he found himself in front of Gjakova, in turn unexpectedly defeated by the Algerian Messaoud Redouane Dris.
“Manuel was unable to find the right race tension – commented the coach Raffaele Toniolo- especially at the first match against the Tunisian. Then in the recoveries he fought very well with the fearsome Hojak and in the final for the third place with Gjakova who in the first 4 minutes made only one attack and despite everything suffered only one penalty. If this is the new way of interpreting the meetings we will adapt and we will come back stronger than before “.
Fifth place for Nicolle D’Isanto who passed the first round in the 63 kg at the expense of the Turkish Ayren Yeksan before being stopped by the Spanish Cristina Cabana Perez. Victory in the recovery over the Tunisian Meriem Bjaoui and then the final for the bronze with the Algerian Amina Belkadi who imposed herself on the blue with sumi gaeshi and immobilization.
Friday, third and final day of competitions for judo, with categories 90, 100, +100 kg men, 78, +78 kg women and the blues Gennaro Pirelli (90), Enrico Bergamelli (100), Lorenzo Agro Sylvain (+ 100), Linda politi (78) and Asya Tavano (+78).
Second day results
63: 1. Laura Fazliu (Cos), 2. Cristina Cabana Perez (Esp), 3. Amina Belkadi (Alg) and Iva Oberan (Cro), 5. Nicolle D’Isanto (Rock)
73: 1. Messaoud Redouane Dris (Alg), 2. Hassan Doukkali (Mar), 3. Akil Gjakova (Kos) and Aleddine Ben Chalbi (Tun), 5. Manuel Lombardo (Ita)
70: 1. Ai Tsunoda Roustant (Esp), 2. Nihel Landolsi (Tun), 3. Martina Esposito (Ita) and Elisavet Teltsidou (Gre)
81: 1. Vedat Albayrak (Tur), 2. Kenny Bedel (Ita), 3. Alfonso Urquiza Solana (Esp) and Tizie Gnamien (Fra)
