A medal sought, wanted with tooth and nail. Simone Alessio dreamed of Olympic goldbut in the end the 24-year-old from Sellia Marina had to settle for climbing onto the lowest step of the podium. After the disappointment of Tokyo, the Calabrian arrived in Paris as World Champion and number 1 in the ranking, but once again bad luck and episodes bordering on thrilling in the quarter-final against the Iranian Barkhordari made the difference, preventing Alessio from continuing his adventure. Having overcome the disappointment, guided by coach Claudio Nolano, Alessio completed the repechage process going on to win a splendid bronze medal. Calabria, on the day of the disappointment of Rossano Lavia who came fourth with the Italian volleyball team, smiles and 12 years after Rosalba Forciniti’s bronze in London 2012, returns to win a medal.
The athlete from Calabria had started the day by beating the Kazakh Toleugali Batyrkhan in the first round, in the quarterfinals he had lost 2 to 1 to the Iranian Mehran Barkhordari at the end of a mocking race, lost 4” from the end when he was ahead. The athlete from Teheran by winning his semifinal allowed the Italian to enter the repechage board that would have allowed one of the two bronze medals. In the first fight Alessio defeated the Uzbek Jasurbek Jaysunov 2 to 0. Then the success in the final.
“For me it’s nice to have a medal around my neck, even if it’s bronze. I came for the goldluck gave me this opportunity from above to be able to play for the podium again, after the defeat in the quarterfinals, and I couldn’t waste it. I’m very satisfied because the bronze repays these four years of sacrifices, I can’t wait to bring this medal home to my parents“. There is however some regret for the knockout in the quarterfinals and for a story that could have been very different: “In the quarterfinals I made a mistake. I went back, retreating and thinking about what I had to do and not what he did. I defended for a different type of kick, not for the rear, because I imagined that he would turn to hit me. The mistake was mine, I took my responsibilities”.
The national team’s technical director Claudio Nolano was also enthusiastic and took stock of the Italian Olympics: “For me this is a very important medal. Bronze but, if we dig it, it’s gold. We brought three athletes to the Olympics, including a very young one (Ilenia Elisabetta Matonti, born in 2004, ed.), and without Vito dell’Aquila’s injury we would have two medals. He and Alessio are athletes feared by the whole world”. The technical director then traced the path towards winning the medal and the hours that preceded the repechages, which were decisive in putting Alessio back in the game: “Simone was furious after the defeat. He calmed down only when Barkhordari also defeated the South Korean, who we thought was the real opponent for the gold. Today he was not in his day, he can do much better than that, but in the space of two hours he made a huge mental growth. Usually those steps are made in four years, he deserved this bronze”.
Compliments from Occhiuto
“Congratulations to the Calabrian Simone Alessio who won the bronze in the 80 kg taekwondo at Paris 2024. Our Region returns to an Olympic podium after many years and does so with an extraordinary athlete, a very young boy who has already demonstrated his great talents several times. Calabria is happy and proud to be able to celebrate this champion”. So Roberto OcchiutoPresident of the Calabria Region. And the President of the Regional Council, Philip Mancusowrites: «Calabria celebrates with immense joy its champion, Simone Alessio. Alessio, already holder of numerous international titles, thus adds another extraordinary chapter to his palmarès, raising the name of his region and of Italy as a whole. Recently, the Regional Council awarded Simone with a plaque, a symbol of appreciation for his talent, passion and unwavering commitment. This success, we are sure, will be a spur for young Calabrian athletes. Thank you, Simone, for having written an indelible page in the history of sport and for having made us dream. Continue to be our pride; your path will still reserve you numerous successes».
Finally, the mayor of Catanzaro Nicholas Flowery: «Simone gave us a dream, for the first time a Catanzaro native wins a medal at the Olympic Games. Thank you, Simone: we are waiting for you at home with the medal around your neck to celebrate all together!».