On the first day in Dushanbe, first place in the 52 kg for the Roman and third, in the same category, for Kenya Perna
Odette Giuffrida wore the gold medal around her neck in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in a Grand Slam with the participation of 34 nations. Number one seed in the 52 kg category, the thirty-one year old Roman arrived ready to give her all on this occasion too and, two weeks after third place in the European championships in Tbilisi, she definitely proved the prediction right by lining up four clear victories. With three penalties Odette prevailed over the Polish Klimczak in the first round, before inflicting a strangulation (okuri-eri-jime) on the Uzbek Rafkatova. A yuko from Tomoe Nage 17 seconds from the end resolved the challenge with the Uzbek Akhmatova, to then close the match positively with the success in the final over the Polish Kaleta, penalized for the third time in the golden score. For Giuffrida it is the sixth gold in a Grand Slam, which enriches an already extraordinary collection. “I wanted to compete in Dushanbe because everyone told me about Tajikistan as a special place – she said – and they weren’t wrong! The energy I felt here was incredible. I’m particularly happy to know the 2026 Masters will be held right here, because the locals won me over”.
others blue
—
Together with the full success obtained by Odette Giuffrida, the twenty-five year old Kenya Perna also climbed onto the 52 kg podium, with a third place which earned her the first medal in the World Judo Tour. Kenya Perma achieved two victories over the Tajik Jumaeva and the Mongolian Myagmarsuren, before losing in the semi-final to the juji-gatame of the Polish Kaleta. With a display of character she then deserved third place in the golden score by overcoming (three penalties) the Mongolian Tserentogtoch. In the 48 kg, seventh place for Asia Avanzato, tomorrow competing for Italy on the second day, Irene Pedrotti in the 70 kg and Tiziano Falcone in the 90 kg, while on Sunday it will be Asya Tavano’s turn in the +78 kg.
