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).

Juniores Grand Prix City of Messina

Fantastic silver medal at the international tournament Citta' di Messina for the little samurai Michael Balzana: a second place that ensured him the convocation in the Italian National Team for the Tournament of Paks, that will take place July 15 in Hungary. A great satisfaction that repays all the enormous sacrifices endured to reach this result. The competition took place in Messina Saturday June 16, and it was the last event of the Grand Prix 2012. The best judokas of the 60 kg category have enlivened a sparkling and full of talent category. With two victories, Michael found himself in the final against the Italian champion, the Sicilian Lanzafame, a hard opponent to overcome against which the young Michael already fought at the Italian juniores competition. The meeting was one-way, and with a superb ippon, the Sicilian eliminated the hopes of the little judoka to get to the top. For the occasion, Michael was followed by the champion and 2008 Olympian, Giovanni Nicola Casale, a great and sincere friend of judo master Giulio Famà, who had words of praise for the behavior of Michael, even though in the final he lost some motivation. Only fifth place for the other young judoka of Spello: Lenin Fernando Mosquera has suffered, in the preliminary rounds, a first defeat by Rollo, strong athlete from Rome, which won the gold medal. A defeat that weighed a bit on his performance. At the recoveries, two beautiful victories gave hope to the team, but an ankle injury affected the ability to win in the final for the deserved bronze. The two young athletes of the Judo Kodokan Spello will continue preparing in Furci Siculo for the upcoming events, under the technical direction of the great champion Giannicola Casale, an athlete who has given so much to the Italian judo.