Italy’s Simone Alessio on his hunger for fame and medals: “I love to be the centre of attention"
The world number one in the men’s -80kg is on the right path to the top of podium after just missing out on a medal at Tokyo 2020. In an exclusive interview with Olympics.com, the Italian world champion speaks on his great motivation post the Olympics, and how the 2022 season is shaping a new chapter in his career.
Taekwondo
If there’s one thing nobody can question it's Simone Alessio’s fighting spirit.
The talented taekwondo star not only has a warrior’s heart but also an ego to match it.
"I'm a bit arrogant. It’s not that I’m rude or anything like that, but I’m very arrogant within myself," the Italian admitted in an exclusive interview with Olympics.com from Rome.
Even though he hasn't quite overcome the disappointment of finishing fourth at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, he's on a clear path to redemption.
A journey that Alessio hopes will lead him to another world title in Mexico in November.
At the moment, he’s exactly where he’s always dreamed of, “to be the number one”.
The reigning European champion heads to the third Grand Prix of the 2022 season in Manchester (21-23 October, live on Olympic Channel) as the top-ranked athlete in the men’s -80kg, after a run of victories.
“I read a post on Instagram after I won the Paris Grand Prix: ‘the defeat in Tokyo was like fuel for his talent’. I liked this definition because before I was impulsive, cocky, a bit arrogant maybe,”
“That reference to 'the fuel' I think was perfect because since then at every tournament I’ve been telling myself, ‘I can’t hold myself back,’ because if I do, then it’ll be like in Tokyo all over again.”
He won the European title in May and the Grand Prix in Rome and Paris, and is now the favourite for the win in Manchester, at an event which begins on October 21 at the Regional Arena.
With his competitive form back, he's now allowing himself to dream of a breakthrough at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
READ MORE: How to qualify for taekwondo at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained
Alessio on Tokyo Olympic disappointment: ‘I haven’t overcome it yet’
Over the last two years, Alessio has been striving towards one big goal - to be the number one in the world. He achieved it partly by becoming the first Italian to win a world taekwondo title, when he won the crown in 2019.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics offered him another good chance to display what the ‘new generation of Italian taekwondo’ had to offer.
But as the Azzurri celebrated Vito Dell'Aquila’s men’s 58kg gold, Italy’s second ever taekwondo Olympic title, Alessio’s run ended in the quarterfinal after losing to Egypt’s Seif Eissa.
A stinging defeat for the talented teen at his debut Olympics.
“I like to be seen, I love to be the centre of attention. I wanted everyone to know that I was going for gold,” he recalled in an open chat with Olympics.com recently.
“I thought (the Olympics) was something only about me.
“So when I arrived at the Olympic Village, I was saying to everybody: 'Nice place, I want to win!’ Then at the canteen when I saw some important athletes I was like: 'I want to be like them, I want to be recognised'."
He continued: “Then when I lost… I had in mind what happened a couple of days earlier to (my team-mate) Vito (Dell’Aquila)…
“A lot of journalists were waiting for him (after he won the Olympic title) and I was blown away. I wanted to experience the same thing. Then after I lost, I came out (of the arena) and nobody was there for me… I was so consumed by envy and when in Italy everyone celebrated Vito – I was very happy for him – I couldn’t stand it.”
The Olympic loss still hurts.
“That disappointment is something that I still carry with me, even now I feel uncomfortable talking about it. I haven’t overcome it yet.
“In Tokyo, I made the mistake of overdoing it,” he admitted.
“I did many things, but all badly executed. It was more quantity over quality and in that way I couldn’t be in control during the bout. I lost 6-5 against the Egyptian but I was always chasing him. That was a mistake and we reviewed and analysed (what I did wrong)."
A new chapter in 2022 for Alessio
Defeats can derail the momentum and roll over into subsequent seasons.
But not if you know how to turn your arrogance into success like Alessio.
The Livorno native, who grew up in the coastal region of Calabria, remained confident in his abilities and used the sting of Olympic failure to fuel upcoming seasons.
“In training, I didn’t give my best because I thought ‘In competition, I can still do well'," Alessio continued his Tokyo 2020 review.
“But when you face the disappointment of losing at the Olympics, you understand that it wasn’t enough, and that’s when you have to roll up your sleeves and start again." - Simone Alessio to Olympics.com
“At the gym, I have the same attitude. I’ve made a mistake once and don’t want to repeat it. Since then I always want to give my best."
Alessio is on a roll. He is still only 22 and believes he has a lot left in him.
He's now “more mature and ready for the next step”. With a height of 1.98m, Alessio has a natural advantage on the tatami. He towers over most of his opponents, superbly stretching his long legs as he aims to deliver his favourite head kicks.
His Tokyo experience also helped him go back to the drawing board and improve technically, further boosting his superb attack and polishing his endurance.
“I still have a great capacity - and a talent in the way of fighting: that is, in taekwondo the famous interlocking, I am good in that. If before the endurance was in deficit, now I have more.
“And in terms of tactics with my Master Nolano, we were able to learn how to manage combat, precisely to direct it the way I want, the way we want it.”
Eyes on second world title as he eyes Paris 2024 podium
Armed with great motivation going into the season, the three-time world medallist has been unbeaten in the 2022 campaign.
He began the year winning the World Taekwondo Presidents Cup in Europe and was crowned champion at the Sofia Open. Then, he clinched European Championships gold after his 2017 Youth title.
Alessio won the last two Grand Prix events in Rome and Paris, and is the man to beat in Manchester from October 21-23.
“My goal in Manchester is to finish unbeaten. In Rome I had the best tactical and technical performance of my life,” he said.
“In Paris, I won, but my performance was far from spectacular. I hope to repeat Paris’ result in Manchester and then I’ll give everything I have at the Worlds. The goal is to remain unbeaten and win, I don’t care how well I’m going to fight.”
He is oozing confidence as he prepares for Mexico as the world number one in the -80kg.
“I’ll be first in the rankings, and this will be an advantage because the top four seeds have an easier draw. For me, it’s important because the first match is the most difficult.”
He wants to carry over his current form into the next Olympic cycle.
“Thinking about the celebrations (at Paris 2024) is a big motivation for the upcoming competitions.” - Alessio
“When I think about Paris 2024, I visualise the celebrations with my family and friends that will come to watch me. This is what I look forward to in 2024. Sometimes I feel so excited that I tell myself: 'Wait, it’s still far away. Let’s stop and wait'. I know it’s difficult because I’m a dreamer and in my mind, I already play the next matches… But yes it's too soon (to think about it)."