In October, Andrea REGIS, a board member of the Italian Judo Federation, received a call to plan a celebration for Alice BELLANDI and her remarkable Olympic gold medal from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Together with the marketing team, they devised with the idea of the Golden Tour, a seven-stage program organised across Italy, with stops in major cities like Rome, allowing Alice to visit and inspire judoka across Italy. The tour has been a resounding success, with over 500 participants in Sicily, 600 in Turin, and 700 in Rome. Due to participant limits for safety reasons, many could not join on the mat, yet came to catch a glimpse of Alice outside of the respected venue. These trips include workshops and demonstrations where Alice interacts with judoka of all ages, sharing her journey and inspiring the next generation of competitors. As she is about to take over the load at stop number four, Alice has shared her experiences so far.
Catania – November 10
Turin (Leinì) – November 17
Rome (Ostia) – November 23
Bologna (Castel Maggiore)- November 30
Montecchio Maggiore (VI) – December 1
Naples – December 14
Brescia – December 15
Catania, November 10: Teaching Life Long Lessons
The first stop of the ‘Alice Bellandi Golden Tour’ was Sicily. Thank you all for the warmth and for the large number of registrations.
I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about an episode that happened at this trip. At the time of the company photos, all the members had prepared themselves, but my eye fell on this little girl with her eyes downcast who was shy to approach me, even though her team was already there with me. I went up to her, I asked what her name was, I hugged her and she replied in a shy voice: “It’s the best day of my life.” – her attitude changed; she started smiling and didn’t stop.
This is to tell you that in life they say that to be happy you have to have a lot of money and be successful, but I assure you that what I felt seeing that little girl happy with a simple gesture was priceless.
Turin (Leinì), November 17: Inspiring Dreams in the Land of Champions
Every stop on this tour gives me unique feelings. Turin and the Piedmont region, where Turin is located, is a land of great champions like Fabio Basile. Fabio was the first to make me dream big. Of course, Giulia Quintavalle sparked something within me, but with Fabio, everything felt more real!
The athletes from Piedmont clubs truly resonate with their champions, it’s as if they’re more accustomed to “him” compared to athletes from other regions. They carry themselves as champions in a distinct way.
What struck me most in Turin was the way young athletes looked at me, the pure admiration and love in their eyes for every step I took.
Days like these remind me of how much I’m contributing to the next generation, inspiring them to dream big and believe in themselves!
Rome, November 23: A Second Home
Rome always feels like my second home. Although I was born in Brescia, near Milan, I moved to Rome when I became a professional judoka.
The arena was buzzing with energy, filled with both kids and older athletes. Working with kids is always special to me. I hope I helped them realise a “little” dream by sharing the tatami with me. They are used to watching me and the national team on television, so it feels almost unreal for them to be on the same mat, hugging me and hearing about my experiences firsthand.
The second part of the tour was with older athletes, which has a different but equally special dynamic. These athletes are closer to achieving their dreams, not just in judo, but in life as well. My time with them on the tatami has a different focus.
My goal is to help them see that judo offers endless possibilities tailored to each athlete’s unique characteristics. Judo demands a lot, practice, study, and understanding of the body. There’s no “completely right” or “completely wrong” way to approach it. In Rome, I shared a few “pills” of knowledge, and I could see they truly appreciated it.
Alice gives her all on this tour, tirelessly inspiring judoka of all ages and perhaps even future Olympic champions. Alice’s victory marks her as a national icon in the sport and with that in mind, in a few hours she will be sharing her experience with hundreds of others in Bologna (Castel Maggiore).
Images: FIJLKAM
Author: Szandra Szogedi