“I fought well, but was too hasty in the crucial situation,” was Daniel Allerstorfer’s summary after reaching the round of 16 in Budapest. After a bye and a remarkable Ippon victory over Enej Marinic (SLO) and a Harai-goshi, Allerstorfer faced number four seeded Gela Zaalishvili (GEO) in the round of the best 16.
Small “panic reaction”
When the Georgian came to the body, Allerstorfer reacted with an O-uchi-gari, which Zaalishvili was able to convert into a counterattack. “That was a bit of a panic reaction,” said the 28-year-old, who by then had neutralized his strong opponent well. Yvonne Bönisch saw it that way too. “Dani was the better fighter against fellow favorite Zaalishvili, he could have calmly forced the Georgian into the third Shido. The sensation was palpable, but in the end there was a little lack of self-confidence, he acted prematurely and was promptly punished,” said Austria’s team boss .
While things are now getting serious for the Olympic team with the preparation camps in Slovakia and Croatia, Allerstorfer is about to take a short break from competitions after its annual climax at the World Championships.
Dutch fans
It would be a good opportunity to send a message to some young fans in the Netherlands. More precisely, these come from the house of ex-world champion Dennis van der Geest. The Olympic third in Athens 2004 is now moderating the fights for the IJF broadcast. “My children, they also do judo, are fans of Allerstorfer,” the 45-year-old told the audience during Dani’s opening match. Van der Geest has three children: Bjorn, Finn and daughter Deza. “You always ask me how Allerstorfer fought.” After his return from Budapest, Allerstorfer found out about his young fans in the Netherlands. “I’m happy. I’ve already picked out Dennis on Instagram, I’ll probably send you something soon,” said the Mühlviertler.
