Judo: ÖJV team at World Championships with clear goals

Austria’s head coach Yvonne Snir-Bönisch has been in office since January 2021, and two Olympic and two World Cup medals have been won since then. The leap onto the podium should also succeed in Doha. Snir-Bönisch named Polleres, the brothers Shamil and Wachid Borchashvili and Aaron Fara as medal aspirants. Some of them have already made a big showing this year: at Grand Slam level there were victories by Polleres in Tashkent and Wachid Borchashvili in Tbilisi in March and by Fara in Antalya in April.

“We train together in Linz, have broadened our base and expanded the coaching team,” said Snir-Bönisch. “We have prepared very specifically for the World Cup and are all in top form. We’re ready to go. The requirement of two medals puts pressure on, but we also give the athletes a lot of self-confidence, we are ready to deliver.”

Brother duel not excluded

Shamil Borchasvili, who came third at the Olympics and World Championships, has competition in his weight class from his brother Wachid. A duel is possible – and welcome – in the 7,000-seat Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena in Qatar. “The brother duel is our goal, preferably in the final. We will do our best, we are highly motivated and in good shape mentally and physically,” said Shamil. An Austrian final battle is not out of the question for Snir-Bönisch. “It can be possible how you live your dream.” However, Wachid is still a bit worried about his fitness, he tore his back in strength training.

The total prize money is 998,000 dollars (909,000 euros), for a world title 26,000 dollars (23,700 euros) are paid out. The event is boycotted by Ukraine because the world association IJF has decided to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus. The athletes from the two countries were checked by a commission for their political independence, and eight applications were rejected. The Austrian association wants to believe in the IJF and trust that the decisions were made in the interests of all athletes, said ÖJV sports director Markus Moser.

ÖJV squad for Doha

Women: Katharina Tanzer (up to 48 kg), Magdalena Krssakova (up to 63), Lubjana Piovesana (up to 63), Elena Dengg (up to 70), Michaela Polleres (up to 70)

Men: Marcus Auer (bis 60), Shamil Borchashvili (bis 81), Wachid Borchashvili (bis 81), Aaron Fara (bis 100)

Additionally for mixed teams: Verena Hiden (up to 57), Maria Höllwart (+70), Lukas Reiter (up to 73)