Alessia Corrao (IJF51/-63kg) won the silver medal at the U23 European Championships held in Pila, Poland. The Belgian judokate only lost in the final against the Spaniard, Laura Vasquez Fernandez (IJF53). A defeat by ippon shortly after halfway through the fight. The 22-year-old from Liège, coached by Fabrice Flamand almost completed the course flawlessly.
As soon as she entered the tournament, the Belgian did not hang around on the tatami. Speedy victory in just 13 seconds. Ippon on an arm lock against the Dutchwoman, Kamile Nalbat (IJF107). Headed to the quarter-finals where Corrao won almost as quickly. She only took 34 seconds to get rid of her opponent, the Croatian Nina Simic (IJF93).
In the semi-final, the double Belgian champion won again by ippon. She beats the Polish woman, Martyna Glubiak (IJF95) with a nice hip movement. In the final, Alessia Corrao came up against the Spaniard Vasquez Fernandez. She comes very close to a new European title. In 2019, the Liégeoise had already won gold at the Euro among cadets. And it was already in Poland in Warsaw.
This title of European vice-champion confirms that she is indeed one of the great promises of Belgian judo.
Corrao already has a nice track record with a bronze medal won at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018. At the beginning of November, the judoka affiliated with the Visé club also won her 2nd title as Belgian champion. And among the seniors, the Liégeoise has already achieved great performances. With notably a 5th place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam on October 12.
