Hertha Walheim Women’s Judo Team Opens Bundesliga Season with Narrow 8-6 Win Over SUA Witten

By Daniel Richardson, Editor-in-Chief, Archysport

AACHEN, Germany — The Hertha Walheim women’s judo team kicked off their 2026 Bundesliga season with a hard-fought 8-6 victory over SUA Witten on Friday, April 25, in a match that showcased both tactical grit and controversial officiating. The win, secured in front of a vocal home crowd at the TSV Hertha Walheim judo hall, gives the Aachen-based club an early edge in their push for a top-four finish and a spot in the league’s end-of-season playoffs.

The Match: A Tale of Two Halves

The opening round was dominated by the hosts, who took six of seven bouts to build a commanding 6-1 lead. Hertha Walheim’s judokas capitalized on home advantage, executing precise throws and maintaining control in groundwork sequences. However, SUA Witten mounted a spirited comeback in the second half, narrowing the deficit to just two points by the final whistle.

The turning point came in the -70 kg weight class, where Witten’s Emily Gränitz secured a dramatic victory over Judith Suhrkamp in “Golden Score” — judo’s sudden-death overtime. The bout lasted over six minutes, with Gränitz finally forcing Suhrkamp into submission with a well-timed armbar. The win was one of only two for Witten in the first half but set the tone for their second-half resurgence.

Controversy Over Officiating

Witten’s coaching staff voiced frustration over what they described as inconsistent refereeing, particularly in the first half. Trainer Hannah Schorlemmer criticized the officials for failing to penalize a potentially dangerous move by Hertha Walheim’s Judith Suhrkamp during the -70 kg bout. “Emilys’s opponent applied a grip in groundwork that could have compromised her spine,” Schorlemmer said. “That’s explicitly against the rules due to injury risk, but the referees didn’t intervene.”

Hertha Walheim’s coaching team has not publicly responded to the allegations, and the German Judo Federation (DJB) has not issued a statement regarding the officiating. The DJB’s rulebook states that any technique “endangering the cervical spine” must be penalized with a hansoku-make (disqualification), but enforcement is often subjective in high-stakes matches.

Standout Performances

For Hertha Walheim, the victory was a team effort, but a few judokas stood out:

• Judith Suhrkamp (-70 kg): Despite the controversy, Suhrkamp’s aggressive newaza (groundwork) kept her opponent on the defensive for much of the bout. Her ability to transition from standing to groundwork was a key factor in her eventual win.
• Adele Akopjan (+78 kg): The heavyweight judoka delivered a decisive ippon (full point) in under 90 seconds, showcasing her dominance in close-quarters combat. Akopjan’s performance was a bright spot for Walheim in the first half.
• Tabea Feldhaus (-70 kg, SUA Witten): Witten’s lone bright spot in the first half, Feldhaus secured a waza-ari (half-point) against Hertha Walheim’s Lena Vogt with a textbook uchi-mata (inner-thigh throw).

What’s Next for Both Teams

Hertha Walheim’s victory moves them to 2-0 in the early Bundesliga standings, though official league tables won’t be updated until after the weekend’s matches. Their next fixture is a home bout against JSV Speyer on May 10, a team currently sitting in the middle of the table. A win would solidify Walheim’s position as a playoff contender.

For SUA Witten, the loss leaves them winless through two matches. Their next test comes against PSV Rostock on May 3, a team they narrowly defeated in last season’s relegation playoff. Witten’s coaching staff will need to address their slow starts if they hope to climb out of the bottom half of the standings.

Bundesliga Format: How the Season Works

The Frauen-Judo-Bundesliga is Germany’s premier women’s judo league, featuring eight teams competing in a round-robin format. Each match consists of seven weight-class bouts (-48 kg, -52 kg, -57 kg, -63 kg, -70 kg, -78 kg, +78 kg), with points awarded as follows:

• Ippon (full point): 10 points for the winner
• Waza-ari (half-point): 7 points for the winner
• Yuko (quarter-point, pre-2017 rules): No longer awarded under current IJF regulations
• Golden Score (overtime): First to score wins; no time limit

The top four teams at the end of the regular season advance to the playoffs, where they compete in a single-elimination tournament to determine the champion. Hertha Walheim has been a consistent playoff contender since joining the Bundesliga in 1994, though they have yet to win a title.

Inclusivity and Community Support

Hertha Walheim’s success on the mat is part of a broader commitment to inclusivity in judo. In February 2026, the club received a €2,000 donation from Alemannia Aachen and the Aachener Werkstätten der Lebenshilfe to support its inclusive judo program. The funds will be used to purchase new training mats and expand coaching staff for athletes with disabilities.

“Sport connects people, and that’s what we live by at Alemannia Aachen,” said André Beckers, a member of Alemannia Aachen’s executive board, during the donation ceremony. “This partnership with the Aachener Werkstätten allows us to send a strong message about inclusion in sports.”

The inclusive judo program, led by coach Manfred Brankers, has become a model for adaptive judo in Germany, offering training sessions tailored to athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities. The program’s growth has been fueled by similar donations in recent years, including a 2024 grant from the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB).

Key Takeaways

• Hertha Walheim wins 8-6: The Aachen-based team opened their Bundesliga season with a narrow victory over SUA Witten, thanks to a strong first-half performance.
• Controversial officiating: Witten’s coaching staff criticized referees for failing to penalize a potentially dangerous move in the -70 kg bout.
• Standout judokas: Judith Suhrkamp (-70 kg) and Adele Akopjan (+78 kg) led Hertha Walheim’s charge, while Emily Gränitz (-70 kg) sparked Witten’s second-half comeback.
• Playoff implications: The win keeps Walheim in contention for a top-four finish, while Witten remains winless and faces an uphill battle to avoid relegation.
• Inclusivity in focus: A €2,000 donation from Alemannia Aachen and Aachener Werkstätten will support Hertha Walheim’s adaptive judo program, highlighting the club’s community-driven approach.

How to Follow the Bundesliga Season

Fans can track the Frauen-Judo-Bundesliga standings and upcoming fixtures on the German Judo Federation (DJB) official website. Hertha Walheim’s next home match against JSV Speyer on May 10 will be streamed live on the club’s Facebook page.

For real-time updates, follow the hashtags #JudoBundesliga and #HerthaWalheim on social media.

What do you think about the officiating controversy in this match? Should the DJB review its referee training protocols? Share your thoughts in the comments below.