Thuringian becomes judo world champion
Torsten Heilmann is over 30 world champion in judo.
Photo: IWF
Gera / Lisbon.
Torsten Heilmann from SV Hapersdorf prevails in the over-30 title fights in Lisbon.
Torsten Heilmann from SV Hapersdorf celebrated the greatest success of his long judo career. The 55-year-old Thuringian, who started judo at the age of six in Gera, won the over-30 world championship title in the age group M6 for judoka from 50 years in the weight class up to 73 kilograms in Lisbon at the weekend.
Heilmann qualified for the tournament in Portugal as the reigning Thuringian champion and fifth in the European Championship in Glasgow 2020. With a quick opening win against the Portuguese local hero Paulo Cascao, he was initially able to save strength. “The fight lasted less than 30 seconds. That was an advantage for the rest of the tournament, ”says the world champion. In the second duel he forced the strong French Mohand Baziz to give up before he defeated the Belgian Jean Steenackers by Waza-Ari in the final.
Now Heilmann, who wants to set up a new club in Gera, hopes to be able to use the attention given to his title to get more children and young people interested in judo. According to Heilmann, the German Judo Association has lost 17 percent of its members as a result of the pandemic.
