Follonica crowned the Italian team champion of the first cadet cup of the year held in Follonica, this weekend.
Pumped by the home crowd Tata – nickname of Thauany David CAPPANI DIAS – and Bright MADDALONI NOSA shone among the others, climbing to the top of the -63kg and 81kg podiums.
It is a big emotion to see the Italian flag waving for me. I left Brazil two years ago: here I found a new home, a new dojo and a new flag.
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It is not easy to pick up and leave another life, which is exactly what Tata and her family did; leaving Brazil to follow a dream of victory in sport and in life.
I came to Italy with my brother, he is a football player and we had to move. At the beginning I was completely angry, it was crazy to change everything, I felt confused, without a real identity, actually only judo remained and thanks to judo I found a new me in Italy. I wish I can represent Italy in next Cadet World Championships, this is my new family and I would be so proud to represent this nation in top events.
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‘Judo – more than sport’, is true for Bright, today in great shape in competition, scoring every match with resolution.
I was adopted when I was two years old and I started judo at the same time with my father Gianni.
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Being the youngest of the Maddaloni brothers could not be so easy, but for Bright belonging to the family of great champions is an incentive,
For me judo is a second chance, I am happy to stay on the mat, it’s a way to prove myself and I am proud of my surname because it always reminds me that I can dream big.
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Together with Tata and Bright, Sara CORBO (-57kg) celebrated the third gold medal for Italy today; the strong Russians Roman REZNIKOV and Dmitri IAKUSHEV won the gold respectively in the -90kg and +90kg categories and Slovenians Tea KOPITAR STURM and Nicki NORCIC found success in the -70kg and +70kgs categories. France managed to earn themselves a gold medal in the -73kg category thanks to Mateo GIORDANO. Italy, Russia, France, Slovenia and Netherlands stood in the medal table amongst the 25 nations in competition.