BELLANDI Alice

General
EATING DISORDER
She says she used to struggle to maintain her weight for the -70kg weight category, often losing 10 kilograms in the month before an event, which led to depression and bulimia. "After competitions I ate compulsively, even though I felt the need to throw up, even at night. I ended up in chaos and oblivion, plus my immune system fell, and I had menorrhoea [heavy periods] and ringworm. I was sick, I suffered but I couldn't stop, because I would not have qualified for the Olympic Games in Tokyo." She says the COVID-19 lockdown and speaking with a mental coach helped. "I spent the quarantine in Rome where I was able to take a breath and understand I had to get help. In a certain sense, the lockdown saved me as I was in overload. With a mental coach, we meet every week. It increased my self-esteem in personal relationships and with myself. I learned to be on my own and the passion for my sport is back. I'm fine and I understand that it is the most important thing. Having regained my health is worth more than any Olympic medal." (brescia.corriere.it, 22 Oct 2020)

PLANNED WEIGHT CHANGE
After the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, she is expecting to move from the -70kg weight category to the -78kg class. I am currently between 75 and 76 kilograms [speaking in October 2020]. I asked the federation to change category and move up to -78kg. We agreed that at the European and world championships I will compete in the -70kg to stay on my Olympic path. Now that I've found more stability, I'll have no problem managing my weight. Then, after Tokyo, the change will happen." (brescia.corriere.it, 22 Oct 2020)

MOVE TO ROME
She grew up in Brescia, Italy, before moving to Rome at age 17 to pursue her judo career. "Although it was very difficult initially, it has given me the opportunity to grow as a person and learn to manage on my own. Undoubtedly it was a very painful decision for everyone since I have a great relationship with my family, but it was the only chance I had to continue to pursue my dreams competing in judo." (alleyoop.ilsole24ore.com, 11 Jul 2020)