Lesbian Olympian athlete wins gold and celebrates by kissing her girlfriend

Out LGBTQ+ judoka Alice Bellandi has achieved Olympic glory, winning a gold medal for her country.

Bellandi triumphed over Israel’s Inbar Lanir in the gold medal match of the women’s 78kg (171 pounds) division on Thursday, delivering a dominating performance that secured Italy’s second Olympic gold medal in women’s judo and the first since 2008, according to ‘MSN’.

The 2024 World Judo Championships silver medalist took control on the tatami throughout the bout, maintaining the offensive and keeping Lanir off balance. This relentless pressure led to Lanir receiving two shidos (penalties in judo) before Bellandi executed a throw that scored her a waza-ari, putting her in the lead. With one minute remaining, Bellandi kept the pressure on Lanir, ultimately causing her to earn a third shido and securing Bellandi’s victory by disqualification.

Image Credit: Canva

The image of Bellandi with a bloodied mouth, her face a mixture of joy, confidence, and a touch of disbelief as the reality of her accomplishment set in, tells the story best. The kiss she shared with her partner while celebrating with family and friends in the crowd underscores the importance of LGBTQ+ representation on the Olympic stage.

Thursday’s final also served as a bit of redemption for Bellandi. Lanir had defeated her in the semifinals of the 2023 World Judo Championships on her way to gold, leaving Bellandi to settle for bronze.

Bellandi’s victory holds additional significance in light of recent actions by Italy’s far-right government, led by Premier Giorgia Meloni, to restrict LGBTQ+ rights, particularly parental rights, and its tacit support for LGBTQ+ discrimination. Italy was among nine European Union nations that declined to sign an EU declaration supporting pro-LGBTQ+ policies on World Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia earlier this year.

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