Simone Glenz had four participants in class F4 up to 63 kg and so everyone fought against everyone. First she won the first two encounters and then faced the Frenchwoman Judo World Championships in Abu Dhabi”>Delphine Roland, who also had two victories to her name. “The last two years I lost to Delphine at the World Cup in Krakow and also in Abu Dhabi because I didn’t stick to my line.” She now wanted to do that differently. “I got up yesterday and said to myself, I’m going to get this thing here in Las Vegas. My trainer Wolfgang Löffler didn’t have to say anything during my fights because I completely stuck to the strategy and my line.” After 48 seconds, she made a throw, for which she received Waza-ari. She immediately went into a hold and received the second waza-ari ten seconds later. This made Simone Glenz world champion. “My last world title was twelve years ago, back in the women’s open class in Miami. And I wanted to finally end this chapter as the all-time second or third place,” she is now very happy about the gold medal.
Franziska Walther won bronze in class F2 up to 57 kg. “She fought really hard and won the bronze medal. She is super happy and is as happy as a biscuit here,” says Simone Glenz, enthusiastically about her appearance on the World Cup mat in Las Vegas.
Axel Metzdorf In the M6 up to 66 kg class, he initially wins two fights against an Indian – “that was the right warm-up fight” – and against a Canadian. He won both fights with ippon. “I got into these first two fights well,” he said. In the semifinals he was tactically superior to the Mexican and won the Golden Score with the third shido for the Mexican. However, in the final against Japan he lost with penalties. “Unfortunately the Shido came too quickly and I lost 3-1.” The fitness was there and he could have continued fighting without any problems. “It was my best tournament so far. “I was extremely well prepared, everything went well, I had no injuries and now I’m runner-up in the world championships,” he said, delighted with the silver medal.
Juliane Gleboczyk started in F3 up to 63 kg. In the opening fight she had to admit defeat against an American with a pin after half the fight time. The bronze fight was relatively even, but she then lost in the golden score due to a counterattack. “I started the tournament full of anticipation and now I’m sad that I didn’t get a medal. “But I am grateful for this wonderful time on and off the tatami. “It was an unforgettable event with the German team,” she says, enthusiastically about the World Cup in Las Vegas.
Anke Heidrich was seventh in the F5 up to 63 kg. She lost her first fight and then the next fight in the consolation bracket. “After the long, intensive and really hard preparation we had, there were tears after the fights,” consoles Simone Glenz.
For Katja Jank Unfortunately, this tournament went as planned. She regretted that she only had one fight, which turned out to be completely different in the eyes of her training mates.
Henning Sudau in the M5 up to 73 kg class, he lost his opening fight in the Golden Score after four and a half minutes with Ippon and was eliminated.
In total, the German athletes won five gold medals, twelve silver and bronze medals, two fourth places, nine fifth and three seventh places.
