The Umbrian Judo to the fore at the Italian Cup of Crotone

A bitter Silver medal for Filippo Battistoni at the national finals of the Italian Cup, held on Saturday May 30th in Crotone. Filippo passed the first round without fighting, being N. 3 in the national ranking, he easily passed the second meeting against the Sicilian athlete Verdimari, several times medalist in the Italian championships, beating him with a superb ippon. At the third meeting, entry ticket for the access to the final, he fighted once again against the strong athlete of Genova, D'Apice: a one-way fight for Filippo, that ended before the end of the fight with a spectacular technique. In the final meeting,to get on the top step of the Podium, he had to face the roman athlete Valerio Menale, asbolute second place in Italy. Filippo, in great shape, dominated the Roman Menale; then, after an amazing technique, valued waza-ari, he blocked the opponent down on the floor until a few seconds before the end of the meeting, but in the end, in a totally unexpected way, the situation has been reversed and Filippo was immobilized by Menale, who stole him the first place on the Podium. Despair and disbelief among the ranks of the Club of Spello and a surprise ending that, however, does not obscure the good performance of Filippo, who - after the university national title won in Salsomaggiore on Saturday, May 23rd - has shown to have the potential and the technique to get great results. Good also the performance of Binucci, returning to important competitions after a knee surgery of two months ago: he has fighted like a lion and beated two strong judokas, with two beautiful ippon techniques: at the third fight, an unforgivable mistake and three liabilities that allowed him to reach only the twelfth place. The absolutes are in December and Alessandro, for that appointment, will be in great shape to do well. Not so good the performance of Cristiano Turrini who, at the first fight, in a class higher than his, had to face the plurimedalists Diego Frustaci of the Banzai Cortina Rome. Instead, interesting the competitions of Michael Balzana and Jorge Mosquera, showing a fighting spirit and a great commitment, proving to be strong opponents; nothing to do for Benedetta Baroni, too young and inexperienced for a high-level Italian Cup. Satisfaction, therefore, for the brothers Giulio and Giuseppe Famà and all the association of Spello. However, an Italian Cup to remember for Umbria, that of Crotone, thanks to the silver medail of Matteo Lascialfari of Umbertide, trained by Mirco Diarena, and to the fifth place of Daniele Sciabola, of the company of Spoleto X2 of the vice president Leonardo Perini. The return to the competition of Daniele has galvanized the whole umbrian expedition: the powerful and fast Ura-Nage against the vice-champion of Italy is one of those ippons to be framed and that will be remembered for a long time.