The Austrian State Championships took place in Feldkirchen (Carinthia). JC Wimpassing took part with Lisa Grabner and the young talents Niklas Weitzbauer, Christian Greiner, Hozan Arslan and Oliver Scharner. Even in the absence of the two Olympic starters Michaela Polleres and Aaron Fara, head coach Adi Zeltner’s protégés were able to achieve top positions.
Above all, Grabner, who recently moved to the next higher weight class (up to 63 kilograms). She was able to win all of her fights early with Ippon and thus confidently win the state championship title. It is her ninth ÖM title out of a total of 17 ÖM medals and, after Kufstein 2019, her second title in the general class.
The 18-year-old Junior European Championship starter Niklas Weitzbauer, who had already won ÖM silver in the U21 and ÖM bronze in the U23 class up to 90 kilograms this year, also fought in impressive form and secured bronze the “State” won its third national medal this year.
Greiner’s talent test
The only 16-year-old Christian Greiner, this year’s Youth European Championship starter and ÖM bronze medalist, showed off with two Ippon victories. He only lost in the main competition to the eventual winner and Grand Prix medalist Thomas Schafetter from Salzburg. In the subsequent bronze fight against his club colleague Weitzbauer, an open fight developed that was only decided in extra time.
The other two youngsters Hozan Arslan (up to 66 kilograms) and Oliver Scharner (over 100 kilograms) fought courageously, but were not yet able to record a victory.
