Judoka Anna-Maria Wagner is world champion again and has also secured her ticket to the Olympic Games in Paris.
Strong performance by the new judo world champion: Anna-Maria Wagner. IMAGO/HANZA MEDIA
In 2021, Anna-Maria Wagner celebrated her first world championship title, and in 2024 the sports soldier from Ravensburg followed up with another triumph. In the weight class up to 78 kg, Wagner defeated the Italian Alice Bellandi in the final in Abu Dhabi in the golden score. “I am so happy to have won five fights. I can’t even believe it yet,” said Wagner: “I knew that if I stayed focused, I would pull it off today.” Women’s national coach Claudiu Pusa also had no doubts: “She was focused, confident and showed no weakness. She was ready to win.”
With the success against Bellandi, Wagner also secured the Olympic ticket for Paris in the internal German duel with the two-time European champion Alina Böhm, because unlike the World Cup, which concludes the qualification phase, the Summer Games in France (July 26th to August 11th ) only one starter allowed per nation.
Wagner, Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo three years ago, went into the World Championships in the Persian Gulf third in the Olympic world rankings, while Alina Böhm was fifth.
Second medal to Ballhaus
The German Judo Federation now has two medals to its name in Abu Dhabi, Mascha Ballhaus won bronze in the 52 kg class on Sunday. The last individual competitions will take place on Thursday, and on Friday it will be all about medals in the mixed team competition, which has been an Olympic event since 2021.
2024-05-22 17:10:40
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