After third place at the Grand Prix in Zagreb and victory at the Grand Slam in Azerbaijan, Anna-Maria Wagner has won another medal. The judoka from KJC Ravensburg came third in the weight class up to 78 kilograms at the Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi. Wagner’s next important competition is scheduled for the first weekend in November.
French woman surprises the KJC fighter
Wagner started the Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi with a win against the Uzbek Irishkon Kurbanbaeva. In the pool final she met Frenchwoman Fanny Estelle Posvite. “In my opinion, I fought very well and also thought that I would win,” says Wagner. Sometimes things happen very quickly in judo. Same thing against Posvite. “She surprised me with a technique to the other side, which was then a Wazaari score. “Unfortunately I couldn’t catch up,” says Wagner. “It was of course a bit of a shame that I lost the pool final. But I couldn’t blame myself in the fight either.”
The Ravensburger had to go to the consolation round, but took her chance for another medal and thus a top placement at a Grand Slam. Wagner won safely against the Croatian Petrunjela Pavic, and in the fight for bronze she finally faced the Portuguese Patricia Sampaio. “I still had a score to settle with her,” says the KJC judoka. “I’ve already lost to them twice this year.” In Abu Dhabi, Wagner was also down 1-2 after three penalties against Sampaio, who has already won five medals at Grand Slam tournaments this year. But shortly before the end of the fighting period, the German managed a Wazaari score. “That was a perfect landing,” says Wagner happily.
Third place in the Olympic rankings
Her German colleague Alina Böhm also won the bronze medal in Abu Dhabi. Böhm also lost to Posvite in the semi-finals, but in the fight for bronze she won against the British Emma Reid. In the rankings for the Olympic qualification for Paris 2024, Wagner is currently in third place, Böhm is seventh. “The Grand Slam was very good for me,” says Wagner about the competition in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. “I’m happy with every fight, I’m on the right track and can train a lot.” Also because she’s injury-free and therefore in top shape.
However, that is also important, because things continue to happen quickly. “I’m already preparing for the European Championships again,” says Wagner. On Thursday the 27-year-old will fly to Montpellier, on Sunday she will be on the mat in the southern French city and fight for the title.
2023-10-27 11:33:02
#AnnaMaria #Wagner #holt #Bronze #Abu #Dhabi
