Our women compete in all weight classes except heavyweight. “We’re starting the World Cup with a lot of confidence and a team of new girls,” says national coach Claudiu Pusa, wishing a good World Cup. “We can plan the performance with the ingredients flexibility, endurance, strength, speed and much more, but output on the mat is simply not controllable. The girls have to have the ability to score the goals themselves,” coach Pusa describes the possibilities for success at the World Cup.
His team consists of very experienced athletes, but also World Cup newcomers such as Mascha Ballhaus. World champion Anna-Maria Wagner and European champion Alina Böhm will be there, both in the same weight class. It is a historical result that the two with world rankings 1 and 7 are among the top 8 and are therefore seeded. This good result in the 78-Klo class actually includes another German athlete. Luise Malzahn is 4th in the world rankings, which means that three German judoka are among the top eight in the world. But Miriam Butkereit, fourth in the world rankings, has also shown in international appearances in recent weeks that she is to be reckoned with.
World champion Anna-Maria Wagner wants to know again. “My goal is to be back at the top. I want to fight for the title again,” she says, knowing that the hunt for gold is on. “Everyone wants to go there.”
Men’s national coach Pedro Guedes has also put together a powerful team. In addition to some Olympic participants, young men also start. Lennart Slamberger, for example, as Vice Junior World Champion, gets his first chance with the men. It is also the first men’s World Cup for Erik Abramov. “I’m really excited,” says the heavyweight, who feels well prepared.
Vice-Olympic champion Eduard Trippel would like to go back into the competition in a relaxed manner. What he’s capable of, he showed once again in Zagreb with spectacular techniques. “I want to win a lot of fights and of course go home with a medal,” is his declared goal. The whole of Judo Germany is certainly looking forward to special techniques from him again. “If I’m relaxed enough, then some techniques are easier to implement.”
The Fry brothers also want to get the maximum performance out of themselves. “I want to call up what I’ve trained and measure myself against the strongest,” says Karl-Richard Frey. He benefits from the fact that the new national coach has brought new influences to his program. “I feel good about it.” Brother Johannes also agrees. “I became Vice European Champion, now I would like to be in the top 5.”
Igor Wandtke is also an experienced fighter. “I want to surprise positively and finally bring what I can onto the mat. A top 7 result is my goal,” he says, knowing that the way to the final round will be long, especially in the 73-kilo class. “I’ve proven it often enough that I can do it. But everything has to be just right that day.”
In addition to the two national coaches, Eguchi Kansetsu and Daniel Gürschner will also coach. Daniel Gürschner in particular is considered one of the very experienced coaches. Since 2009 he has always been an assistant coach at a World Cup. Pedro Guedes also emphasizes this: “Daniel is an important assistant coach with a lot of experience. He helps the team a lot and likes it. “The boys are all in excellent shape. In his own way, Pedro managed to form a great team that everyone is there for each other and that competitors also help each other,” Daniel Gürschner is enthusiastic about the working atmosphere together.
Nominations for the World Championships from 6.-12. October 2022 in Tashkent
Women:
-48 kg: Katharina Menz (TSG Backnang,WÜ)
-52 kg: Mascha Ballhaus (TH Eilbeck, HH)
-57 kg: Pauline Starke (JT Hannover, NS)
-57 kg: Caroline Fritze (SC Bushido Berlin, BE)
-63 kg: Nadja Bazynski (TSV Bayer Leverkusen, NW)
-70 kg: Miriam Butkereit (SV Halle, ST)
-70 kg: Sarah Mäkelburg (SU Witten Annen, NW)
-78 kg: Anna-Maria Wagner (KJC Ravensburg, WÜ)
-78 kg: Alina Boehm (JZ Heubach, WÜ)
Men:
-60 kg: Moritz Plafky (JC Hennef, NW)
-66 kg: Lennart Slamberger (SC Leipzig, SN)
-73 kg: Igor Wandtke (JT Hannover, NS)
-81 kg: Dominic Ressel (TSV Kronshagen, SH)
-90 kg: Eduard Trippel (JC Ruesselsheim, HE)
-100 kg: Karl-Richard Frey (TSV Bayer Leverkusen, NW)
-100 kg: Daniel Herbst (JC Leipzig, SN)
+100 kg: Johannes Frey (JC Düsseldorf, NW)
+100 kg: Erik Abramov (UJKC Potsdam, BB)
Additional for mix team competition:
-73 kg: Alexander Gabler (1st Godesberger JC, NW)
