Italian
The tricolour waves at the Judo Grand Prix. Valerio Accogli triumphs in the -66kg, silver for Giorgia Stangherlin and bronze for Irene Pedrotti in the -70kg
LIMA (PERU) – First two days of the Grand Prix in Lima (Peru) and immediately three medals. In the tenth stage of the World Judo Tour season, Valerio Accogli triumphs in the -66 kg weight category. Following are the silver of Treviso’s Giorgia Stangherlin and the bronze of Irene Pedrotti in the -70 kg.
Accogli takes gold
First career podium in the top international circuit and immediately a gold medal for Valerio Accogli. On the tatami of the Coliseo Eduardo Dibos, the 21-year-old from Rome made his debut in Pool D by defeating Kyrgyz Adis Orozmamatov (waza-ari plus yuko). Then it was the turn of Finnish Luukas Saha (waza-ari plus double yuko) and Ukrainian Mykyta Holoborodko (waza-ari in golden score).
In the semifinal, the junior European champion in Tallinn 2024 faced Azerbaijani Ruslan Pashayev. Here, after two shido each, the Italian managed to win with an ippon in extra time. In the final for gold, Accogli overcame Canadian Julien Frascadore by waza-ari after no less than 5’49” of golden score. Third place went equally to the two Azerbaijanis Pashayev and Rashad Yelkiyev.
Second day of medals
Double Italian joy in the -70 kg with Giorgia Stangherlin taking silver and Irene Pedrotti bronze. The first easily overcame Pool A by defeating Israeli Maya Goshen and Brazilian Ellen Froner. In the semifinal, the all-Italian derby was won by the athlete from Treviso, who was then defeated in the final by Swede Ida Eriksson.
Pedrotti instead dominated Pool B by first beating American Yasmin Alamin and then German Samira Bock. Defeated by her compatriot in the semifinal, the Italian managed to overcome Slovenian Kaja Schuster and hang a beautiful bronze medal around her neck.
Photo: Kulumbegashvili Tamara/IJF
