PARIS (Reuters) – On Thursday, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a surprise visit to watch the judo competitions, arriving just moments before Alice Bellandi’s gold medal match.
“I didn’t know. I found out after I won that it was the prime minister,” Bellandi said to reporters.
Bellandi, who triumphed over Israeli Inbar Lanir in the under 78 kg category, expressed her happiness about Meloni’s presence. “It was so nice because this sport doesn’t have a lot of relevance,” she added.
Meloni was seen quickly entering the arena near the Eiffel Tower, accompanied by her advisers and bodyguards, while fixated on her mobile phone and wearing an “Italia” t-shirt.
During the fight, Meloni appeared to be receiving updates on the progress, but when Bellandi clinched the win, she jumped to her feet and applauded enthusiastically.
“It’s so good that someone gives the same importance to every sport,” Bellandi commented after Meloni congratulated her.
“She said that I had a beautiful smile and my eyes were on fire,” Bellandi shared.
Winning Italian judoka gets surprise prime ministerial visit at Paris 2024.