ROBERTO MASCHERUCCI won Guernsey’s first gold of the Games as Jersey and host island Rhodes took an immediate grip on proceedings at the 12th Games. By the end of another stifling day on the holiday isle, the Sarnians were lying fourth in the medal table after a rousing finish in which cyclist Tobyn Horton stormed through to win the men’s town criterium and Lee Garland and Laura Arblaster won bronzes in the first evening of track and field.
In front of a large and loud Guernsey support in the Vergina Hall, the Italian-born 36-year-old defeated Hjalmar Johannesen of the Faroe Islands in the final of the judo individual lightweight 73kg class. Mascherucci once won bronze for Italy at the European Champion-ships and he said that this medal was up there with that achievement.
‘I wanted it so badly - it means a lot,’ he said.
‘Thank God for that. I just wish it’s the first of many for Guernsey. We shouldn’t just stop at me. We’re good and we deserve it.’
The restaurant manager only needed 10 seconds to finish Johannesen with a match winning ippon move. There was some confusion as to whether it was legal as the main referee did not award it, but the two side referees did.
Mascherucci and Johannesen both ended up in the safety zone but as the throw had started in the competition area, it was quickly given when the assistant referees pointed this out to the main official. Mascherucci said he had no special plans for the final.
‘There were no plans really, I just did what I do best,’ he said.
‘I just pulled him around and do whatever I can. The guy made an entrance on me and he made a mistake. I saw it on the camera afterwards and it definitely was an ippon.’
Jersey owed their first day glories to their shooters who claimed five golds. Guernsey won a silver in the English sporting team shoot thanks to James Ashplant, Vince Helmot and Andy Mahy.
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