Turin, June 18 (LaPresse) – Alice Bellandi won the gold medal at the Judo World Championships in Budapest in the -78 kg category, repeating her Olympic triumph last year in Paris. On the tatami of the Papp László Sportaréna, the 26-year-old from Lombardy defeated Kenya’s Zeddy Cherotich, Hungary’s Nikolett Sagi, and China’s Ma Zhenzhao to win Pool C. In the semifinal, she overcame Slovenia’s Metka Lobnik, and in the final, she secured the title by throwing Germany’s Anna Monta Olek after six minutes of golden score. This marks the first world title in Bellandi’s career, who had already earned silver in Abu Dhabi 2024 and bronze in Doha 2023. For the Italian national team, it is the second medal in the Budapest tournament following Assunta Scutto’s gold in the -48 kg, and the eighth world title in the history of Italian women’s judo.
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