On the way to her second participation in the Olympic Games, Anna-Maria Wagner from KJC Ravensburg won another medal at a Grand Slam. The 27-year-old judoka won the bronze medal in Antalya, Turkey. Her national competitor for a place in Paris, Alina Böhm, was in the final in Antalya and gained a few points in the Olympic rankings.
With 5,487 points, Anna-Maria Wagner remains in third place in the rankings for the Summer Games in Paris. Alina Böhm has moved closer in fourth place (4708 points). However, many tournaments in which the world’s best judoka can collect points are no longer taking place. Wagner is now preparing for the European Championships in Zagreb (April 25th to 27th) and the World Championships (May 19th to 23rd in Abu Dhabi). “Maybe I’ll start at the Grand Slam in Tajikistan in between,” says Wagner.
It was my third tournament this year and third medal. So that all fits.
Anna-Maria Wagner
The 27-year-old was not entirely satisfied with how the tournament went in Antalya. “It was my third tournament this year and third medal. “So everything fits,” says the Ravensburg native. “But the tournament result could have been better if I had had a slightly better day.” After early victories in Pool Group A against Camila Figueroa from Peru and the British Emma Reid, the German met the Olympic silver medalist in Tokyo in the semi-finals , Madeleine Malonga.
Wagner fell behind against the Frenchwoman after around a minute and a half of fighting time, but she was unable to catch up. “The content wasn’t that good, if I’m honest,” says Wagner. “Nevertheless, it is of course great to still finish the tournament with a medal.”
A satisfied national coach
The Ravensburg woman secured the medal with a win against the Italian Giorgia Stangherlin. The national coach Claudiu Pusa was also satisfied. “Anna-Maria showed good judo and we are very satisfied after she was unable to train for a week for health reasons,” the national coach was quoted as saying in a statement from the German Judo Federation. Because she wasn’t completely fit, Wagner decided not to take part in the Grand Slam in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Böhm won the bronze medal there, and in Antalya, Wagner’s national rival in the weight class up to 78 kilograms also had to admit defeat to the French Malonga in the final. “She had a good start against Malonga, but then let herself be grabbed and fell backwards onto Ippon,” Pusa commented on the final fight.
Two Grand Slams – in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan – are still on the world association’s calendar before the Olympic Games, plus the World Cup. Then the participants for the Summer Games in Paris will be determined. Anna-Maria Wagner, third in Tokyo 2021, would like to be able to go back on the mats in the French capital. To achieve this, she took another step in Antalya.
2024-04-04 03:59:26
#Wagner #wins #medal #Paris
