Eduard Trippel stands with his legs apart in front of a window with a view of the Eiffel Tower. “Road to Paris 2024” can be read on the sign that the JC Rüsselsheim judoka holds up. The photo shoot in which the 26-year-old proudly posed in the Champ de Mars Arena took place a little over a year ago. The mat fights will be held there at the Olympic Games in France this summer. 500 days before the start of the major event, there was little doubt that the silver medalist from Tokyo 2021 would also buy a ticket to the Seine.
Two months before the World Championships in Abu Dhabi and the associated end of the qualification period, things are now looking different. The representative of the class up to 90 kilograms, who won the only individual medal for the German men in Japan, has fallen to 38th place in the decisive ranking. About half of the competitors in front of him would have to overtake Trippel in order not to have to watch while others reach for precious metal.
“Every tournament I fight in now has to be a success,” emphasizes the Hessian before his planned return to the tatami at the Grand Slam in Antalya next week. Not an easy undertaking when you were rarely able to fight duels for months, even during training. Trippel explains: “The world wouldn’t end” if he missed the games this time, he says, especially since the police officer, who has been released from duty, has no plans to end his career yet.
Just short comebacks
The suffering began shortly before the World Cup in Doha in May. While wrestling with a sparring partner, Trippel tore a medial ligament in his left knee. The joint, which was initially treated conservatively, continued to swell. After an operation in September to remove an inflamed bursa, a second one followed in January: bacterial infection had caused chills and fever. The athlete has found it difficult to remain patient in the past few months, in which he twice attempted a short comeback.
“I’m running out of time,” says Trippel. He consulted his psychologist more often than usual. He distracted himself from cloudy thoughts by posting lots of videos on social media. Trippel also devoted himself to things that often fall by the wayside. He appeared on television and in advertising campaigns and was introduced to Remscheider TV as a new member of the Bundesliga team. In singles he remains loyal to his Rüsselsheim hometown club, which is looking for a new start in the second division.
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A month ago, the judoka started “normal training” at the performance center in Munich, where he practices because of the strong partners. He spends the nights in the hall basement, where a guest room is set up. Trippel now has to focus 100 percent on the upcoming competitions in order to acquire the missing practice and score as best as possible. “It’s going to be damn difficult,” says home trainer Andreas Esper. But both remain optimistic. “If he has his head clear, he can swim freely.” And in four months he will be standing in front of the Eiffel Tower again with a big chest.
2024-03-22 15:35:58
#Judoka #Eduard #Trippel #Fight #time
