Lessons resume

The judo school of the brothers Giuseppe and Giulio Famà (b.b. 6th dan) reopens. Monday, September 16 the courses for all ages will resume while the competitive team - under the direction of Francesco Lepre b.b. 6th dan - did not interrupt the preparation, even for the week of August, in prevision of the upcoming important events of the 2nd half of the year. Thanks to the cooperation with prof. Fabio Morettini, responsible of the Umbrian regional technicians of weightlifting and the interesting Clinics, held in early September, together with the coach Janusz Pawloski the samurais of Spello will fight in the competition of Belgrade on 28-29 September. Registrations are open and we receive every evening from Monday to Friday at 18:00.

Another Podium for Mancini

Bronze for the athlete Massimo Mancini, an important medal for the young cadet after the flop of Genoa. He conducted a safe fight, but in the semifinals he exaggerated and carelessly took the leg of the opponent with the hand getting disqualified. In the small final for the third place he led the fight and won by ippon. The next meeting is in Poland, where Massimo will defend the Italian flag in a competition of the European circuit.

Competition in Bellinzona (Switzerland)

Silver for Michele Damiani (already bronze at the internationals on April 27 in St. Gallen) at the International Tournament 3 Castles, held in Bellinzona Saturday, May 4. Fifth place for Alessandro Binucci, after the bronze of St. Gallen, and seventh place for Michael Balzana.

Bronze at the Trophy Giano dell'Umbria

Bronze for society conquered by the Kodokan Spello at the Trophy "Giano of Umbria" held in Terni Saturday, March 2nd. Excellent performance of the team Spello that, thanks to the performance of the samurais Jordy Suarez (3rd class.), Lenin Mosquera Ruiz (11th class.), Giacomo Fiorucci (2nd class.), Michael Balzana (3rd class.), Giacomo Gramaccioni (3rd class.), Andrea Biasin (5th class.), Michele Damiani (2nd class.), Alessandro Binucci (5th class.) and Patryk Stojecki (5th class.), who made it possible to place the team behind the teams Florida of Rome and the Star Club of Naples. The experience of black belt Stefano Almanzi, for the occasion on board carpet, allowed the boys of Spello to face the competition with enthusiasm.

The brothers Mancini grant an encore

After Massimo Mancini his sister Silvia, born in 1993, conquers the black belt. On the third try, Silvia Mancini reached the goal and finished in 7th place in the final of the 78 kg at the Italian Juniors Championships held Sunday, Feb. 24 at Andria. The girl faced with determination the competition and proved that a little more training probably would have allowed her to get on the podium. Unfortunately, she has trouble studying (she studies engineering at the University of Perugia together with his teammate Juri Medici) and she lives distant from Spello, in Terni: all this prevents her from attending the gym with more regularity. Great satisfaction for the technician Giulio Famà who always believed in the ability of his athlete. "I have to thank, first of all my family - says the young judoka - who supported me, even economically and who followed me up to Andria to cheer for me. Secondly, I would like to thank all the guys of Spello, who helped me to face this difficult experience, and finally my teacher, Giulio Famà, to whom I am already very fond and who believed in me". A great start of the year, which in just two weeks has brought a wave of joy and success to the team of Spello: two black belts in the same family and a bronze medal, the one of Massimo (he may avail itself of the advice of the European champion, Francesco Lepre, black belt 6th Dan, head of the agonistic teams of Master Giuseppe Famà). The spoils of Andria could have been even greater if the draws had not been that difficult for the samurais of Spello. In the first round, Michael Balzana won against the Sicilian Pappalardo, who won several times a medal at the Italian Championships, but then he lost against the neapolitan Di Loreto (European bronze medal). In the retrieval phase, Balzana lost against the titled athlete of Turin, Schiavina. Nothing to do for Giacomo Gramaccioni and Juri Medici, both out in the first round.

Start with the Boom

Great start for the samurais of the brothers Giulio and Giuseppe Famà: a heavy bronze for the young Massimo Mancini (1997) at the Italian Cadets Championships held Saturday, February 9 at Ostia. A bronze that gives him the coveted black belt after just fifteen years. Before him, only Leonardo Pascucci had succeeded in this enterprise with a third place in a hard category: "We hope that it is a good sign and that Massimo can match and exceed the results obtained by Pascucci." - tells the leader Giulio Famà - "Certainly he has achieved an unexpected and striking result, given that its participation was questioned, because of a knee surgery that kept him still for more than a month. A success that he strongly desired and for which Massimo has done and is doing tremendous sacrifices every day to come to train in Spello: Massimo lives and studies in Terni, but the distance does not stop him. A strong will, only few athletes would sacrifice themselves like he does." In the competition held on Saturday afternoon (race began at 9:30 and ended at 22.15) the 90 kg athlete of the Judo Kodokan Spello won 5 matches and only lost against Pozzi, the champion of Italy. Three matches won by ippon standing, one on the ground and one by Waza-ari in the match for third place, that shows the determination and the potential of the young Mancini. A ride to the lowest step of the podium made under the eyes of his father (former athlete of national interest) visibly excited and proud of his son. Massimo exalted his teammates who supported him through to the final, which was held at about 22. "I can’t believe what I did" - said the young champion of the Kodokan Spello – "I can’t realize that I was able to win a medal, a medal that I dreamed for a long time after the injury but that seemed unattainable." Massimo is not new to exploits of this type: he won a bronze medal in 2011 at the National Championships, and after he won the Trophy of Italy. He also participated with the National Team in various tournaments in Italy and abroad. Now he enjoys this well-deserved success with his parents and friends of the Kodokan Spello, after receiving the compliments of master Nicola Moraci, technical of Judo Frascati, where Massimo has trained often, and from the President of Fijlkam Umbria master Giuseppe Famà. The headlines are also deserved by Jordy Suarez, that lost with honor in the second round and Lenin Fernando Mosquera, that is still unable to give his best.

The Letter

That of the Umbrian judo was a four Olympic years unprecedented success in all categories: youth and seniors, male and female. Four years in which the small region of Umbria has grown thanks to one person: Giulio Famà, coach of regional team, that together with his boys has reached peaks that seemed inaccessible. "The four-year Olympic period is now over - says the coach Famà - and the recent articles published in local newspapers do not help to understand the enormity of the sacrifices faced by the Umbrian companies and their technicians. To remedy to all the oversights and unexplained omissions emerged these days, I would like to highlight the real situation and give weight to the actual work done. As Regional Technical Commissioner I had the merit of having involved in this adventure great masters of great moral depth: Celestino Magnini, long-time technical of the noble team Ripabianca, and Dario Dionisi, who managed to lead the athletes of Gubbio at the top of the national judo (remember Bianchini and Fiorucci, winners of the Trophy Italy in 2012, without forgetting his son Marco, great silver medal at the Italian championships). One can not ignore the excellent work done by Leonardo Perini and Mirco Diarena, responsible of the major competitive team: Leonardo (for all the Coach) has conquered the affection of the entire regional team with his friendliness and availability, and he is also the master of a historical society in Umbria where great athletes like Daniele Sciabola (bronze at Italy Cup 2012), and Giacomo Mellone (bronze at Italians Juniors 2012) grew up. Mirco, at the head of the Kodokan Fratta after the untimely death of his father Silvano, has been able to create a team that today boasts captains as Matthew Lascialfari (second at the Italian Cup 2012) and Nicola Becchetti (Italian Junior Champion).All the guys mentioned could take advantage of the support of exceptional teachers like Giovinazzo, Lepre, Cattedra, a slice of the history of Italian judo part of our regional team. I must also mention who made it possible for the region Umbria to be represented in European tournaments, World and Olympic Championships. I refer to the Blue Flames Perugia of Francesco Bruyere (gold in the Jigoro Kano Cup), the London Olympic athletes Francesco Faraldo and Elena Moretti and many others, among whom I would like to quote the Umbrian Matteo Celesti (5th overall in Italy). A collaboration with the prison officers Dr. Marcello Tolu and Dr. Francesco Pennisi, that will continue in the next four years and will allow increasing growth of judo in Umbria. Finally - concludes Famà - I can only show my satisfaction for the revival of judo in Terni. I recall with pleasure the two Italian titles of Pragliola Francesco and Massimo Mancini of the team Passpartout conducted by Ferdinando Fiocchetti and Stefano Nardone. There are also other interesting promises like the aforementioned Mellone and Nicholas Colomboni athlete of team Guazzaroni of the master Gianluca Guazzaroni and the technicians Roberto Colombini and Alessandro Cervelli.I would like to continue the list, but it is not possible to mention all the athletes of the Umbrian teams that, with the exception of the team of Città di Castello, in the past four years have participated at the regional trainings and have contributed to the success of our team. Though the credits go to Filippo Tonzani, a promising young athlete trained by Maestro Poeta, the athletes of the historical society of Maestro Giampaolo Magri, to Elisa Mazzetti and Riccardo Basili, flagship of the association San Sisto, and finally to the boys of my and president Giuseppe Famà’s team: Binucci, Battistoni, Balzana, Damiani".

Third edition of the Day of the Fijlkam Champion

On Saturday, December 22nd the "Third Edition of the Day of Fijlkam Champion" took place in the auditorium of Golf Hotel Quattrotorri (Ellera Corciano), the award ceremony of the athletes and Umbrian Sports Clubs who have distinguished themselves during the Olympic quadriennium 2008/2012. The large participation and enthusiasm of the athletes featured a nice but simple event: there were authorities of CONI, FIJLKAM and regional politicians.Noteworthy, the exciting intervention of the manager of the Blue Flames, Francesco Pennisi, who announced the intention of the prestigious sports group to return to the top ranks of Umbrian clubs: a decision that brings the entire national movement and the image of Umbri at the top, a choice that will allow young athletes in our region to grow and have positive experiences.

Results of Italian U23 Championship Qualifications

Great fifth place for Alessandro Binucci in the 73 kg final of the Italian under 23 championships held in Lignano Sabbiadoro Saturday, October 26. A difficult category, which saw the participation of the strongest athletes in Italy today, valid as selection for the Europeanunder 23 Championships, that will take place in Prague November 16 to 18. At the end the winner was the absolute champion in charge Meloni, athlete of the Gold Flames. A fantastic match was fought by Alessandro Binucci, marred only by a smear in the match for third place, where he succumbed to the golden score, when the result was overwhelmingly in his favor: four matches won and two lost, that the final balance for Alessandro. Good 7th place for Manuel Paccoia in the category over 100 kg, but nothing to do for the athletes Michael Balzana, Michele Damiani and Andrea Biasin which all lost in the first round against opponents that had already won medals at the national championships.

Italian U23 Championship Qualifications

Five athletes qualified for the finals of the Italian Under 23 Championships, that will take place on 27 October in Lignano: Michael Balzana for the category 60 kg, Andrea Biasin 66 kg, Alessandro Binucci 73 kg, Michele Damiani 90 kg and Manuel Paccoia in the over 100 kg category. Five out of eight categories conquered by the samurais of Spello. An important result which could have been amazing if an injury had not prevented Giacomo Gramaccioni to fight in the 81 kg category, where he was among the favorites. A success reached thanks to the technical manager Francesco Lepre, black belt 6th dan which from several years is an important part of the Judo Kodokan Spello, and thanks to the collaboration with Gianni Nicola Casale (5th in the world and 7th at the Olympics in Beijing) who worked an entire summer with the athletes of Spello, hosted at the new gym in Furci Siculo. Afterwards, the classic Criterium Giovanissimi and the first edition of the Umbria Cup took place, this last one reserved for beginners B and A. The competition was won by Judolimpic Perugia (2nd classified the Kodokan Gubbio and 3rd classified team Judo Tuscia).