Every year the Judo Austria Awards are presented at the Bundesliga Final Four in Gmunden (November 30th, semifinals from 2:30 p.m., final fights: 7:15 p.m.: women, 8:15 p.m.: men). There are a total of eleven categories to choose from. Below you will find part three of the Final Four countdown with the categories Club of the Year and Young Club of the Year.
Club of the year: UJZ MÜHLVIERTEL
The club name UJZ Mühlviertel speaks for both quantity and quality in judo. The award for Club of the Year 2024 is anything but surprising. As in recent years, the club has the most club members in Austria. More than 400 registered judo cards are proof of good club work. Nevertheless, the sporting achievements are not neglected either. At this year’s Final Four, both men and women will fight for the title. In the women’s Bundesliga, they finished the regular season in first place with a three-point lead. Winning the title wouldn’t be a surprise. The men’s team also strengthened – in time for the Bundesliga showdown in Gmunden – with heavyweight Stephan Hegyi and the Serbian world-class legionnaire Aleksandar Kukolj (vice world champion 2021, -100 kg). By the way, the semi-finals will see a repeat of last year’s final with the Allianz Kukla Galaxy Tigers. In the regular round there was a clear 3:11 defeat against the Viennese subscription champions. In the Final Four they swear by revenge. Anything else would not be UJZ-like.
Young Club of the Year: ASKÖ FAIRDRIVE LEONDING – LEOFIGHTERS AUSTRIA
Askö Fairdrive Leonding – Leofighters Austria, founded in 1977, an independent judo club since 2019, will be honored with the Judo Austria Award 2024 for the young club of the year. The married couple Andrea and Martin Stump are primarily responsible for ensuring that a large number of national and international successes are achieved every year. An excerpt from the current year: Together with Askö Reichraming we became mixed team school champions. Magdalena Mayrhofer won the Austrian under-23 championship title up to 63 kg, Marie Spielbüchler (-52) and Selina Wögerer (-70) were crowned under-16 champions, and at the Askö National Championships they were the most successful club with 18 medals, nine of which in gold.
In 2025 it should continue in this key.
