Mascha Ballhaus and Pauline Starke are fifth at the European Championships, Deutscher Judo-Bund eV, press release

In the class up to 52 kg, Mascha Ballhaus (TH Eilbeck, HH) had his sights set on the medal, but narrowly lost in the semifinals to the later European champion Chelsie Giles from Great Britain. She was in the fight for bronze against the Olympic champion in the 48-kilo class Distrija Krasniqi from Kosovo. After more than ten minutes of very balanced fighting time, the third penalty for Mascha Ballhaus ultimately decided the medal. She was fifth at the European Championships. “Masha did a good competition. She beat Olympian Reka Pupp from Hungary and also fought well against Olympic champion Krasniqi,” says national coach Claudiu Pusa. “Of course I’m disappointed that it wasn’t enough in the end,” says Mascha Ballhaus, somewhat disappointed. “But today gave me a lot of self-confidence that I don’t have to hide from the world’s best.”

Pauline Starke (JT Hanover, NS) wins all fights with ippon in the weight class -57 kg up to the semifinals. A special highlight of her day of fighting was the victory over the Portuguese Telma Monteiro, who, as a 6-time European champion and multiple medal winner at the World Championships as well as with Olympic bronze, wanted to defend her title from the previous year. After just one and a half minutes of fighting, Pauline Starke won with a foot throw with ippon. After narrowly losing the semifinals against Israel’s Timna Nelson Levy, she was in the fight for bronze against Belgium’s Mina Libeer. “In that fight there was this first quick action where she scored with the waza-ari. Then the fight goes completely differently than planned when you have to chase after a rating,” says Pusa, but is a little disappointed that both hopes for a medal ended up being dashed. “Overall I’m very satisfied, but it’s tough to just miss the medal,” says Pauline Starke. “But I can see that things are going in the right direction.”

Annika Würfel (Vfk “Bau” Rostock, MV) won her first fight in the class up to 52 kg, but then lost and was eliminated, as did Nora Bannenberg (JC 71 Düsseldorf, NW), who had her first fight in the class up to 57 kg lost.

On the men’s side, Lennart Slamberger (JC Leipzig, SN) won his opening match at his first European Championships, but then lost and was also eliminated.

More information on the website of the German Judo Federation

Starting on the second day of competition:

Igor Wandtke (JT Hanover, NS), Lukas Vennekold (TSV Großhadern, BY – both class -73 kg) and Tim Gramkow (TKJ Sarstedt, NS – class up to 81 kg).

The fights begin on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. (8:30 a.m. CEST) with the preliminary round and from 4:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. CEST) the finals with award ceremonies will take place.

The fights can be followed live: live stream and competition lists