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Premiere in Austria: First Judo Grand Prix in Linz

The World Judo Tour makes a stop in Upper Austria. And for the very first time ever. The athletes are fresh from the World Championships and naturally wanted to take this momentum with them.

The Austrian city of Linz is hosting the World Judo Tour. The spectators in the TipsArena were eager for world-class judo. And that is what they got.

Marusa Stangar was considered the favourite in the 48 kg weight category and she lived up to her role. With her usual dominant ground work she turned the tables on Laura Martinez from Spain in the final and won her first Grand Prix gold in five years.

“The crowd here in Austria is pretty loud,” said the fresh medal winner, who was happy “that I can also show my qualities in Ne-Waza. “

In the men’s event, Frenchman Romain Valadier Picard took the gold medal in the 60 kg category. He won his final against the Ukrainian Dilsho Ukrkhalmatov.

In the weight category up to 52 kg, Japan’s Kisumi Omori showed all her judo skills when she defeated Roza Gyertyas from Hungary. She took her first ever Grand Prix gold.

In the 66 kg category, Spain’s David Garcia Torne won – he beat Kamran Suleymanov from Azerbaijan in the final. For him, this was “a very important medal”, Garcia Torne explained later. “Because I haven’t had a gold yet, this gives me further confidence. “

In the 57 kg category Pleuni Cornelisse from the Netherlands, after two silver medals, finally got her first gold medal. She defeated the German judoka Seija Ballhaus in the final.

On the first day of the Grand Prix, the audience in Austria once again witnessed local hero Sabrina Filzmoser, who was competing in her last tournament in her home country. In addition, Bernadette Graf was honoured, who said goodbye in front of the home fans. On Friday, the Grand Prix continues in Upper Austria.

By Thomas