Judo, Scutto and Giuffrida, double feat in the Grand Slam: first time for Italy

Their names are Susi Scutto and Odette Giuffrida and they are the two stars of an Italy that has won like never before. It happened on the first day of competition in Astana, the Grand Slam in Kazakhstan, and it was the first time that Italian judo managed to win two triumphs in a Grand Slam. One after the other, first Assunta Scutto won the final for first place in the 48 kg and, a few minutes later, Odette Giuffrida did the same in the 52 kg. A small great masterpiece of two small, immense women.

Scampia jewel

—

Scutto, 21 years old, raised in Scampia with Gianni Maddaloni and now with the Fiamme Gialle, already has two third places at the senior World Cup (2022 and 2023), but she doesn’t stop at anything or anyone and in Kasakhstan she won her second gold in a Grand Slam overcoming the Uzbek Fotimakhon Tursunboeva, the Azeri Leyla Aliyeva, the Russian Kristina Dudina (Ain) and in the final the Spanish Laura Martinez Abelenda. In the world ranking Assunta Scutto thus rises from third to second place, overtaking the Japanese Natsumi Tsunoda and making the French Shirine Boukli feel her breath on her neck. Odette Giuffrida, on the other hand, is twenty-eight years old, but manages to be still and always surprising in her monstrous continuity at the top of the category after two Olympic medals (2016 and 2021), a world medal (2023) and a desire for Olympic gold also fueled from the first place conquered today in Astana overcoming the French Julie Weill Dit Morey, the Uzbek Gulkhayo Juraeva, the Azeri Gultaj Mammadaliyeva and in the final the Japanese Ryoko Takeda, mocked with an intuition of great class twenty seconds from the end. It was a fantastic day for Francesco Bruyere, the head coach of the women’s team, who came very close to the third podium of the day with Francesca Milani, fifth in the 48 kg. “We came to consolidate our positions in the rankings and we return home with two very heavy triumphs – commented Bruyere – Susy and Ody were superlative, they managed the whole match well, showing lucidity and intelligence. For Susy it is the second success in a grand slam confirming her immense and continuous growth, for Ody instead it is the fourteenth podium in a Grand Slam and nothing more needs to be said. Together they make a record, two victories for the first time in a single Grand Slam for Italy. I am very proud of these girls and of this national team which today also brings home an excellent and very narrow fifth place for Francy Milani. Carry on like this, good girls”.