With the European Championships in Sofia, Europe’s judo elite will be fighting for medals for the first time since the Olympics. Austria travels to the European Championship with high expectations, although Stephan Hegyi and Lukas Reiter are injured. The ÖJV has won at least one European Championship medal eight times in a row since 2013, but Sabrina Filzmoser won the last gold eleven years ago. Bernadette Graf is the local number one when it comes to European Championship medals.
The 29-year-old Tyrolean has no fewer than five medals to her name (4 in singles, 1 in mixed), but is now fighting in the 70-kilo category again, just like before Rio. In the very first competition in Turkey, she came second, surprising herself. The police student was absent from the presentation of the European Championship team on Friday in Vienna because of an important exam.
Daniel Allerstorfer is currently also a “lucky bag”. The heavyweight (+100) has lost ten kilos and, at 125 kilos, sees himself as a new fighter. “My body hasn’t quite adjusted to it yet. But I think it was the right decision,” the Upper Austrian, who is up for the final day, is hoping for more mobility and stamina.
If the ÖJV hopes including three EM debutants are at the start on Friday, the following day will be a “super Saturday” for Austria. Because with Graf, Michaela Polleres, Magdalena Krssakova and Shamil Borchashvili, the four big ÖJV medal hopes are in action.
The Olympic Silver Polleres (24) suffered a concussion in the run-up to the European Championship, but recovered well. “I got back into it carefully and I’m one hundred percent fit again,” assured the Lower Austrian, who fought like Graf in the 70-kilo class and was seeded number 3. In front of her are only world champion Barbara Matic and Dutchman Sanne Van Dijke, both of whom Polleres defeated at the Olympics in Tokyo.
On the second day of the competition, the chance is greatest to do the same after more than 4,000 days as Filzmoser, who is currently waiting for Everest ascent in the Himalayas, with EM gold. Since then, Austria has won ten European Championship medals, but no gold. “Since I’ve been in Austria, we’ve won silver and bronze at the Olympics, and bronze once at the World and European Championships. A European Championship title would be an ideal start to the season,” hopes head coach Yvonne Böhnisch, who will start in May with Poland’s Robert Krawczyk has a new national coach at its side, on a successful “gold mission”.
But Böhnisch also made it clear that the really big highlights of the year are yet to come with the Olympic qualification and the World Championships. “Traditionally, the European Championships are of great importance. However, we have geared the training towards our athletes getting in shape at the end of June, with the start of the Olympic qualification for Paris. The absolute highlight of the season is the World Championships in October in Tashkent.” , explained the 2004 Olympic champion.
Krssakova (-63 kg) starts the tournament as number four. After Silver 2020 in Prague, she wants precious metal again. “My shape is right,” the 28-year-old Viennese is convinced. Olympic bronze medalist Shamil Borchashvili (-81) is number 6 in his class and, unlike Polleres and Krssakova, is still waiting for an individual medal at the European Championships. “I’ve definitely gotten even stronger since Tokyo, I’ve improved my grip and my attacking tactics. I’m definitely ready for my first title,” said Welser confidently. A very big goal is of course to compete at the Olympics in 2024 together with brother Wachid (-90).
Athletes from Russia or Belarus are not at the European Championship (365 judoka from 40 nations) at the start. “They announced of their own accord that they would not be taking part for the time being for security reasons,” reported ÖJV President Martin Poiger, who is also Secretary General of the European Association. Poiger is enthusiastic about Sofia. “A great hall. I’m always very sad when you see how bad the sports infrastructure is in Austria.”
ÖJV team (10) for the European Championships in Sofia 2022 (April 29th to May 1st, 2022):
Women (6): Jacqueline Springer (-48), Katharina Tanzer (-48), Lisa Grabner (-57), Magdalena Krssakova (-63), Bernadette Graf (-70), Michaela Polleres (-70)
Männer (4): Daniel Leutgeb (-60), Shamil Borchashvili (-81), Wachid Borchashvili (-90), Daniel Allerstorfer (+100)
