The two athletes from Garda Karate Team, Gaia Maffizzoli and Alice Don, participated in the Italian Under 21 Championship in the Kumite section. The event took place at the Palapellicone in Ostia Lido, Rome, from April 26th to 28th.
The championship saw the participation of 554 registered athletes and 205 teams. The Centro Olimpico Matteo Pellicone, known as Palapellicone, was the venue for the competitions. This facility is recognized as the temple of karate and martial arts in Italy, also being the technical center of Fijlkam, the official Italian federation for judo, wrestling, karate, and martial arts.
Gaia and Alice competed on Saturday in the -61 kg category. The competition was organized into four pools with a total of 35 participating athletes. The day lasted from the first eliminations at 9 am to the afternoon repechages at 5:30 pm.
Unfortunately, Gaia did not manage to advance past the elimination rounds while Alice achieved a commendable seventh place. Despite the different results, both athletes were praised for their commitment and participation in such a prestigious event.
The head of Garda Karate Team expressed his satisfaction with the athletes’ participation in the Italian Under 21 Championship. He emphasized that even though they did not win a medal, the experience of competing at this level is itself a victory. Gaia and Alice will surely return enriched by this experience, ready to continue improving their karate skills.
Italian Version
