At the Paris qualifiers the boxer from Pavia beats the Greek Pita in the play-offs: “After the defeat with Dubois I found my strength”
PAVIA. Rebecca Nicoli in Paris wrote a page on sport in Pavia: no woman boxer before her had ever qualified for the Olympics. “When dreams come true” he comments from the French capital where the qualifiers for the Games were held, which promoted four Italian boxers (and no boxers).
In the decisive match with the Greek Pita, Rebecca turned the match decisively in the second round. In the third, however, nervousness reigned, but Rebecca has always done something more and better, so she won five to zero in the match that was worth the qualification in the kg category. 60. In the end, even if the verdict was clear, the reading of the unanimous vote of the judges made the Pavese make a crazy leap, who then began to cry and to look for her opponent in the ring to hold her tight in a long, exciting hug. .
«I think that the image that will remain most impressed on me of the whole tournament – underlines the young promise from the Pavia Boxing Association – is precisely the one where my opponent and I hug each other crying at the end of the match. I think it is a sincere moment of great respect for a girl who, like me, wanted to go to the Games. The emotions I felt were very strong. In my head I said: damn I’m going to Tokyo, I did it ».
It was an uphill tournament for the 21-year-old promise of Italian boxing. «In the first match – explains Nicoli – I won with ease, on the other hand she was an opponent I knew and had already faced. It was however important to break the ice in a tournament of this caliber ».
The next day Nicoli faced the British Caroline Dubois, 34 matches won and only one lost against Valentina Bustamante from Pavia. «The English is an excellent boxer – underlines Rebecca – with a remarkable choice of time. But I honestly think the judges have rewarded his boxing more than due. I’m still proud of what I’ve done. He beat me on points and for me to realize I lost it hurt a lot. I felt the sensation that a door closed in my face on the most beautiful. Then I thought it could not end like this, I had a second chance and I decided that I would not let myself be discouraged but rather I would do everything to remain positive, ready and reactive to make the most of this new chance and I succeeded ».
The boxer from Pavia who had qualified before Rebecca Nicoli at the Olympics was a certain Giovanni Parisi, when he won gold in Seoul 1988. «An honor – she smiles – the fact of being the first female Pavia boxer gives me immense pleasure. I am very happy to be able to play this role, to be part of such a beautiful story and of a dream that comes true ». —