Gennaro Pirelli turns European gold into a bigger Olympic push

Gennaro Pirelli is back on the tatami in Bardonecchia, where the Bardonecchia EJU OTC 2026 has brought elite judo athletes to Italy for this Olympic Training Camp. The Italian European Champion is using this moment not to celebrate for long, but to reset his focus for the next steps of the Olympic cycle.

For Pirelli, winning the European title in Tbilisi was a landmark moment. He described it as a dream achieved, but also made it clear that the result is not the finish line. His message is simple and sharp: bigger goals only come through hard work and the hunger to keep moving.

That mindset seems to have been reinforced immediately at home. After returning to training, he said his coach Lello Raffaele Parlati did not allow the story to stop at one title. The focus quickly shifted toward what comes next, and Pirelli sees that attitude as something grounding as well as motivating.

European gold was only the beginning for Pirelli.

One of the strongest themes in his reflections is maturity. Pirelli believes that his recent progress is not only about intensity or heart, but about how he manages competition itself. He spoke about stepping onto the tatami with patience, controlling what he can, and staying focused even when he is not physically at his best.

That balance between ambition and humility stands out in his approach. He does not present confidence as noise or bravado. Instead, he links top performance to staying humble enough to become the best version of himself on the day.

Paris 2024 also remains an important reference point. Pirelli admitted there was a period of reflection after the disappointment of finishing fifth, the so-called wooden medal position, in the mixed team event. Rather than hide from that result, he seems to have absorbed it and used it to make changes.

According to Pirelli, both his mentality and the structure of his training have evolved since Paris. He also pointed to the role of his group, his friends at the gym and his family in helping him move forward. It is a reminder that elite judo may be fought individually on the tatami, but progress is often built collectively.

When the conversation turns to LA28, Pirelli does not hide the scale of his dream. He wants Olympic gold. At the same time, he approaches that goal carefully, preferring to take the road one competition at a time and focus on reaching each major milestone in the best possible condition.

Pirelli says maturity is now central to his judo.

His comments on the Italian mixed team add another layer to the story. Pirelli described a squad that can transform in team competition, even after difficult individual results. He highlighted the heart inside the group, the desire to win together, and the instinct to immediately lift up a teammate after a loss.

Italy’s team record gives that belief real weight. Pirelli noted that the squad has won medals at the World Team Championships and was fifth in Paris. For him, that collective energy is one of the team’s greatest strengths.

As training continues in Bardonecchia, Pirelli looks like an athlete carrying both satisfaction and unfinished business. European gold confirmed his level, but his attention is already fixed on what still has to be built.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union