The Pavese, competing in the category up to 60 kilos, won over the Mexican Falcon Reyes. On Friday he will face Irish gold favorite Harrington
PAVIA: Rebecca Nicoli won the first match at the Tokyo Olympics in the category up to 60 kilograms. She won 4 to 1 on points over the Mexican Emseralda Falcon Reyes, known as “the Panther”. This is the verdict for Nicoli according to the five judges: 30-27, 28-29, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27. In the ring of the Kokugikan Arena, temple of sumo, the athlete from Pavia was superior in the first two rounds to give slightly in the third. Nicoli on Friday at 11 am in Tokyo, 4 am in Italy, will face Irish Kellie Anne Harrington to enter the round of 16. The Irishman Harrington is the number 1 in the world, a big favorite for the gold medal
«I felt very good, I am happy to have had this fight to break the ice and to get back into the ring. I faced an aggressive opponent, that was what it took, ”the policewoman from Pavia said to the breaking latest news microphones. Italian boxing is present at the Tokyo Olympics with only four athletes: for the first time in Olympic history no man has qualified.