Almost 600 judoka from 80 nations will take to the mat at the “Upper Austria Grand Prix” in Linz next week (8th to 10th March). And just in time for this largest judo event in Austria, the ÖJV has secured the services of head coach Yvonne Snir-Bönisch secured until the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The contract was signed immediately before the press conference on Wednesday in the Linz Olympic Center. The bar is set high – both at the home Grand Prix and in just under five months at the Olympic Games in Paris.
As of this afternoon, exactly 584 judoka from 80 countries have been named for Linz, and among the 17 female and male athletes from Austria there are also six Viennese. But as it currently stands, none of them will be allowed to go to the games in the summer. At the moment they are with women Ljubljana Piovesana (LZ Hohenems / up to 63 kg) and Michaela Polleres (JC Wimpassing / up to 70 kg), as well as for men Shamil AND Wachid Borchashvili (LZ Multikraft catfish / up to 81 kg) as well Aaron Fara (JC Wimpassing / up to 100 kg) qualified for the Olympics. Catherine Tanzer (SU Noricum Leibnitz / up to 48 kg) could still make it over the continental quota, and then two more judoka are hoping: Laurin Böhler (LZ Hohenems / up to 100 kg), who recently recommended himself for higher tasks with his European Open victories in Györ and Warsaw and can fight for his chance at the next tournaments – and then there is Magda Krssakova (JC Sirvan / up to 63 kg) as the only Viennese woman who still wants to jump on the Olympic train, even if it is the last wagon.
What impresses Snir-Bönisch is the development over the last three years. “I would never have dreamed that two Olympic, World Cup and European Championship medals would be possible in such a short time. The bar for Paris is high,” says the Potsdam native, who is still the only German judo woman to have won an Olympic gold medal (2004 in Athens, up to 57 kilos). “It’s time for someone to follow me,” she says. But their focus is of course on the ÖJV team, which – at least as of now – would even be qualified for the Olympic mix competition based on their world rankings and their status in the Olympic qualification. But the settlement will be made at the end of the Olympic qualification after the World Cup in Abu Dhabi (May 19th to 25th).
Linz will be an important step on the way to Paris. In contrast to last year, where Polleres and Fara were missing from the home GP, this time all the aces are there. “It was important to maintain Grand Prix status on the World Tour. This means we can nominate four judoka per weight class,” says ÖJV President Dr. Martin Poigerthe state of Upper Austria and above all the sports regional councilor Markus Achleitner is very grateful for the support of this 1.1 million euro project. “Last year we left with a slight deficit, this year we want to do it without a deficit.” But this also requires spectators – tickets are available here: Upper Austria Judo Grand Prix – Judo Austria
“Last year I was injured but enjoyed watching. “This year I’m looking forward to being able to fight the home Grand Prix in front of my family and friends in a great atmosphere,” says Polleres, the Olympic silver medalist in Tokyo, who is very excited. The Lower Austrian wants to fight in all tournaments by summer, including the European Championships (end of April in Zagreb) and the World Cup, and collect points. “That would be important in order to be seeded at the games.”
At the PK in Linz, the Borchashvili family was represented by Wachid because brother Shamil was already on his way to Tashkent, where he will play another tournament before Linz next weekend. After winning his bronze medal, the Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo hoped that “in Paris we will be three Borchashvilis!” So he has too Welsh meant, but it is far from qualifying for the Olympics. And whether Shamil is allowed to go to Paris will not (only) depend on the world rankings. Poiger: “After the end of the qualification, if there are two qualified people in a weight class, we will decide who is allowed to go to the games.” So no rest, neither for Shamil nor for Wachid. By the way, the two are seeded 2nd and 4th in Linz, and ideally there could be a duel between brothers in the final!
The six Viennese judoka fighting in Linz are Jacqueline Springer (Vienna Samurai / bis 48 Kilo), Laura Callinger (judo ring / up to 57 kg), Krssakova or Bernd Fasching (bis 81 kg), Adam (up to 90 kg) and Movli Borchashvilli (over 100 kg / all M&R Galaxy).
Photo: ÖJV press conference in Linz (from left): ÖJV head coach Yvonne SNIR-BÖNISCH, ÖJV President Martin POIGER, State Sports Councilor Markus ACHLEITNER, Michaela POLLERES and Wachid BORCHASHVILI – @joe
2024-02-28 19:01:06
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