Last year she was fifth, this year it should work with precious metal – Laura Callinger (Judoring / up to 57 kg) is, from the Viennese perspective, the great hope at the Judo-LM USK Judo Lungau celebrates a place …”>Under-23 European Championships starting on Friday in Pila, and a medal is also the goal of the 22-year-old Viennese. Eight red-white-red judoka are there in Poland Magamed Borchashvilli (Allianz Kukla Galaxy Tigers / up to 81 kilos) and Philip Aust (JC Klosterneuburg / up to 73 kg) two more Viennese who also want to be on the podium.
It is 800 kilometers from Vienna to the Polish industrial town of Pila (70,000 inhabitants), just under an hour’s drive north of Poznan. The ÖJV team travels by car, stayed at the Czech-Polish border from Wednesday to Thursday and only arrives in Pila on Thursday. Laura is already aiming for the medal she hopes for on Friday. “I don’t want to force anything. But after a fifth place last year, it’s clear that I want to be on the podium,” says the Viennese, who is studying architecture at the Vienna University of Technology. And more than a year ago the weight class changed from 63 kilos to 57.
“It was a good decision to go down a class,” says Kallinger. who used to weigh around 64 kilos, but now has to lose around 61 kilos, or around four kilos, before every important tournament. “I do that very well. “I follow a nutrition plan from a British specialist and I don’t need a sweat suit or a sauna to successfully lose weight,” says the 22-year-old, who has not been able to complete the full training program in the last few days due to a cold. “But now it’s working again,” laughs Laura. Who wants to know the draw, but doesn’t want to let it make her nervous. “If you want to win, you have to beat all your opponents anyway,” says Kallinger, who is also happy that her parents are also coming to Pila. mama Sandra was once a successful national team judoka.
For the men, two more Viennese climb onto the tatami. Already on Friday Aust in the class up to 73 kilos. The 21-year-old, who fights for JC Klosterneuburg and in the Bundesliga for Galaxy, also has a medal as his goal. “If I can use my judo, then I can also make it to the podium,” says Philip in good spirits. “In any case, I have prepared well for the European Championships and I am also mentally strong.” This probably also applies to Borchashvilli, who recently showed strong performances in the Bundesliga and internationally, and to his club coach Thomas Haasmann also has a lot of confidence. The Styrians Verena Hiden (up to 57 kilos) and Lisa Tretnjak (up to 63 kilos) and the co-favorite up to 70 kilos, Elena Dengg (ESV Sanjindo/S) or for men Marcus Auer (JC Premstätten / up to 66 kilos) and Issa Naschcho (LZ Multikraft Wels / up to 81 kg) are (still) on the way to Poland. The fights in the Mosir Hall take place on Friday (lighter classes up to 63 or up to 73 kg) and Saturday (from 70 or from 81 kg and higher) from 9 a.m., with the final block at 4 p.m. The Sunday mixed competition starts at 10 a.m.
Photo: Laura KALLINGER (white) wants a medal at the U23 European Championships in Poland – @Judo Austria / Oliver Sellner
