Sport, as we know, is also a school of life and can provide beautiful pages when you least expect them. The feat of becoming world champion at the certainly not green age of 49 was achieved by Franco Pellegrini, born in 1975, Roman by birth but from Lodi by “adoption”, who rose to the top of the world in the martial arts discipline of Philippine kaly , a type of fighting that can take place with a rigorously padded stick or knife. The scene of the success was the WSA event held in Luton, England, in which over one hundred athletes from various countries participated, including, in addition to England and Italy, also Ireland, Austria and France. Obviously there was great joy among the Italian staff, which also includes another Lodi native, Claudio Alfieri, as athletic trainer, also a world-class athlete. But what was the driving force that allowed Pellegrini to reach this goal and what were the factors that allowed the Roman-Lodi native to reach the finish line? To understand you have to dig into the character trying to understand the man beyond the athlete. “I was born in Velletri, a town in the Castelli Romani, on 18 August 1975 but for the first 17 years I lived in Lariano, also in the Castelli area, known in Lazio for the goodness of its bread. I had a peaceful childhood spent between school, boy scouts, friends and sports. After finishing professional schools with the qualification of mechanical turner, the time comes to join the military and I decide to do it as a career as a Vfb (short stop volunteer, ed.). of the world, touching Tuscany and Sicily but also Sarajevo on various missions and courses including training for Sarajevo in ’95. I stayed here for nine months, I returned home and decided to leave for the north in search of work. While I was traveling around the world I was always looking for a gym where I could train, from judo to floor fighting, including muay thai and full contact.”
Until he landed in Lodi. “Exactly. Here I met Elena, who was a sales assistant in a clothing store, and we got married. In the meantime I found work in the research field as an employee, our two children were born, Thomas who is now 19 years old, and Mattia, who is 13, and I started practicing jeet kune do and Filipino kaly.”
The turning point meeting was the one with Claudio Alfieri.
“I really think so. I told the master of the gym where I went that I wasn’t interested in belts, or fighting or even becoming a master. Then Claudio (Alfieri) arrived at the gym, then he goes his own way and we meet again later Covid and convinces me to fight. In the end I find myself as a master and world champion of a sport that I adore.”
Pellegrini’s palmares speaks of silver and bronze at the Italian championships, silver and bronze at the European Championships and finally gold, silver and bronze at the World Championships, considering that I have only been fighting for two years.
Why did you approach martial arts and what did they teach you?
“I have been practicing martial arts since I was a teenager and I grew up watching Bruce Lee’s films. The rest was done by meeting Claudio Alfieri. Why did I choose this sport? For me the motivation was to demonstrate that I could do it even at my age. Martial arts are a way of life. I am a Leo, so I have a strong character. Athletes from other nations have renamed me Dominic Toretto (a character played in the films by Vin Diesel, ed.). I understand if it’s because of the similarity or something else. With martial arts I can hold back and think before acting. This sport helps you feel good physically and mentally and face life with a different eye and be more confident in yourself.” .
What feelings did you have after winning the World Championship?
“Many and all more beautiful than the other. The joy of victory, the satisfaction of the result. The adrenaline is so much that you struggle to understand what you did. The next day you think back to how much effort you put in. But it was worth it At least I’ll have something to tell my grandchildren.”
Is there a dedication?
“To myself, to my family, to all those who made this triumph possible, to Claudio Alfieri, to all the Azzurri staff and to my adventure companions.”
What changes, if anything, when you become a world champion?
“In reality, life hasn’t changed much for me. Apart from the congratulations of everyone who found out about it, including family, friends and colleagues. They certainly don’t ask me for autographs when I go out and about.”
What is your secret dream if you have one….
“In reality there aren’t many. I’ve almost done everything I wanted. All that’s missing is a millionaire win, but I’m working on it. Never say never in life. Jokes aside, I already have everything, a beautiful family, a job, which Today it’s a lot of stuff, I do a sport that I like and it keeps me young and fit and I’m a gold medalist. I don’t miss anything.”
Albano Colli
