A JUDO Olympian has appealed for help to find her brother, who police are “extremely worried” about after he went missing in Bristol.
Former Team GB star Lubjana Piovesana, 28, said Luis, 26, “left a very distressing voicemail that he was in danger” at 3am on Friday.
GettyLubjana Piovesana during the World Judo Championships 2023[/caption]
Luis Piovesana is missing
PAMr Piovesana, 26, was last seen at around 3am on Friday[/caption]
She added the next hours are “critical” in the search and “his belongings have been found in different locations”.
Luis was last seen at Eastgate retail park having travelled there via a taxi from a venue in Little Ann Street, St Jude’s, a 10-minute drive away.
Avon and Somerset Police are “increasingly concerned” for Luis and the force says it is “out of character for him to be missing”.
Lubjana, who switched allegiance to Austria in 2023, defeated Team GB’s Lucy Renshall in the women’s -63kg judo event in Paris last year.
She wrote on Facebook: “He has no phone, no money, no cards, so he will be in distress.
“He could be injured, he could be trapped. Please check your sheds/garages/public toilets in case he tried to seek shelter from the cold.
“The next hours are critical and any help is appreciated.”
CCTV footage shows Luis travelling on foot around the retail park shortly after 3am on Friday, and is understood to have been heading home towards the village of Frenchay.
He was wearing black baggy jeans with a diamond patterned stitching on them, cream-coloured trainers, a black and grey Rapha gilet and a black Rapha cap, police said.
Luis has a cartoon-style tattoo of a man, a car and a cherub on his arm, and a Vespa motorbike on his stomach.
Detective Inspector Pete Walker said: “We are extremely worried for Luis and would encourage anyone with information to contact us as soon as possible.
“He does not have access to his mobile phone nor any money and we are carrying out extensive searches as we urgently try to locate him.”
Lubjana is the youngest medalist from Great Britain on the IJF Tour. She switched to the Austria National Team in 2023.
She competed at the 2024 Olympic Games and fought her way into a duel for bronze in her weight class but ultimately finished fifth.
facebook/lulu.piovesanaLubjana has appealed for help[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
