Less than a month ago, Fabio Basile spoke to the EJU about the joys of becoming a father and the uncertainty surrounding his judo future. At the time, he had said that his next competition would be in May.
Now, in a sudden twist, Basile is set to return to the tatami at the European Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 17 April, lining up in the -73 kg category as a last-minute replacement for teammate Manuel Lombardo.
“Life is very weird, very strange,” Basile said. “One important thing in this sport is that you always have to stay in shape. You cannot have a period without training. I have trained since I was six years old. I have never stopped. I train every day, twice a day, all year, and God gave me this opportunity. Now I need to be stronger, better, and win.” Basile was last seen on the European championship tatami in 2023.
It was Lombardo himself who made the call, informing Basile of his injury and expressing his hope that if anyone would take his place in Tbilisi, it would be Basile.
On social media, Lombardo posted: “I tried until the very last moment, but in the end we decided to prioritise the start of the Olympic qualification journey and the World Championships in October in Baku. It’s not easy to stay out, but I’m continuing to work to get back on the tatami as soon as possible.”
As for the question on all of our judo minds: what about Basile’s weight cut??
“I just have to lose five kilograms, I think it will be easy. Friday will be a difficult day, but also a beautiful day.”
Judoka
Author: EJU Media