The entry period for the European Judo Championships in Sofia (BUL, April 29th – May 1st) is still running until April 17th. So far 243 judoka from 29 nations have entered. Ascending trend. Austria’s team has been set since Friday morning, it comprises a total of 10 active people. The squad in detail – women (6), -48 kg: Jacqueline Springer (Vienna Samurai/W), Katharina Tanzer (SU Noricum Leibnitz/ST); -57: Lisa Grabner (JC Wimpasing/Lower Austria), -63: Magdalena Krssakova (JC Sirvan/W), -70: Bernadette Graf (JZ Innsbruck/T), Michaela Polleres (JC Wimpassing/Lower Austria); Men (4): -60: Daniel Leutgeb, -81: Shamil Borhashvili, -90: Wachid Borchashvili (all LZ Multikraft Wels/OÖ), +100: Daniel Allerstorfer (UJZ Mühlviertel/OÖ). Lukas Reiter (-73/JC Wimpassing/Lower Austria) has to pass due to an injury due to a knee infection.
“The training performances in Antalya were promising. Michaela Polleres is fully fit again after her concussion. Bernadette Graf and Magdalena Krssakova come with Grand Slam medals in their luggage – both are confident. Shamil Borchashvili also makes a really strong impression. A medal at the European Championships is the minimum goal, two medals are definitely within the realm of possibility. For the three European Championship debutants (Grabner, Springer, Leutgeb) it’s primarily about gaining experience for the upcoming Olympic qualification”, clarifies ÖJV head coach Yvonne Bönisch.
Austria’s team has a proud series of successes to defend in Bulgaria: For the past 8 years (since 2013), the ÖJV has won at least one medal in all title fights, in 2018 and 2019 there were even two each. In the previous year, Bernadette Graf (then still -78 kg) conquered her 5th European Championship bronze.
Of course, the last red-white-red European Championship title has been a long time coming – 11 years ago (2011) Sabrina Filzmoser won the category -57 kg in Istanbul. Sports director Markus Moser: “The Austrian national anthem has not been played at a major international judo event since then. We wouldn’t mind if this series came to an end in Sofia.’” 132 months or 4,026 days have passed since then….
