Angelica and Giovanni, two brothers from Trentino and a family love, it is appropriate to say, for judo: on Sunday at the world championships in Las Vegas Angelica and Giovanni Tarabelli won the silver medal in Ju no Kata Senior at the world championships in Las Vegas, and for her, a teacher at the Maso Ginocchio nursery school, compliments immediately arrived via social media from Mayor Ianeselli: «Even before the medals, it is the passion, dedication and sacrifices made for this sport that make you a champion and a example for our children”, he wrote to her.
Angelica, what beautiful words came from the mayor…
«They gave me immense pleasure and I thanked them for it. In what I do I always try to set an example.”
Daughter of art, judo is in the DNA of the Tarabelli family. Do you want to tell?
«It’s a Trentino story. Judo was the first sport I did and continued over time. I also tried cross-country skiing, skiing, swimming, skating, but judo entered my soul and with my brother we try to transmit that same passion that was instilled in us by our father (master Dario Tarabelli is was a beacon for judo, ed.). Making the kids understand that you must never stop and that you can always have a goal, I think is fundamental.”
I hear the emotion in his voice…
«Yes, it’s still fresh. It was an exciting day; my dream is to get gold and surely sooner or later we will do it, but a world silver medal is a great honor regardless.”
She combines her passion for Judo with her profession as a teacher at the Maso Ginocchio nursery school. How does he do it?
«I am additional on a child with special educational needs. I dedicate myself to her, it’s the fourth year I’ve been there, an amazing school environment. In a team of exceptional colleagues there is unity of purpose with a truly very important educational project that teaches kindness, respect and growing together. My life flows between school, family and training with the boys. Instead, I train with my brother Giovanni in his gym in Pergine.”
You and your brother Giovanni have won a lot this year: it’s a 2024 to remember.
«It is our sixty-fifth medal; My brother and I started racing again in 2014, this was our fifth world championship and we really had a crazy escalation.”
He even found time to write a book…
«It is a photographic technical manual, “Global method of female self-defense – Mga woman”, a prevention against gender violence. I say that I wish I hadn’t written this book, because it would mean that this problem doesn’t exist, and instead it is unfortunately very current. As a mother I dedicated it to my son, as I believe it is important to educate sons to respect women, to share intentions, to ensure that there is no abuse and to accept the no’s. Unfortunately, the news these days reports cases of absurd violence. Last September 19th, at the invitation of the Honorable Martina Semenzato, I was there to present it to the Chamber of Deputies; starting Saturday, for three consecutive Saturdays, I will talk about it in Val di Sole.”
What lessons can we learn from judo?
«Judo teaches us that we fall, as we fall in life, but we can get up and start again with all the energy we have. It teaches us that life is made up of obstacles, but you must never give up. The motto “We and the others together to progress” of the founding father of judo, Kanō Jigorō, has an incredible value and reflects the values of our family 100%.
Who do you dedicate this medal to?
«To our father, who is not very well but at 89 and a half years old still has incredible strength».
Ready to give judo lessons to Mayor Ianeselli?
“Absolutely. His son is already a student of mine, as is the son of Merler, his opponent in the last municipal elections in Trento. As you can see, I’m on a perfect level playing field (laughs, ed.).”
When will you return to Trento?
«Tomorrow (tonight, for those reading, ed.). Wednesday morning I will already be at work with my children. I can’t wait to hug them and have a nice party with them. But I also have to train, because on Sunday 24 November we have the Italian Championships in Verona.”
