Kirchham’s junior judo squad secured one fifth-place finish and three seventh-place finishes at the Austrian National Championships in the senior division, held in Oberwart, Burgenland. Coached by Bernhard Beiskammer and Stefan Leb Sr., the four-person youth delegation competed against seasoned opponents in a 154-athlete field representing 40 clubs nationwide.
Junior Squad Takes on Senior Competition in Oberwart
Traveling to Burgenland with a roster consisting entirely of juniors, Kirchham fielded three athletes under the age of 21—Nico Zagler in the under-60kg division, along with Stefan Leb and Klaus Wörmanseder in the under-81kg category—alongside under-18 competitor Johannes Wörmanseder in the under-90kg bracket. Despite the age gap against the senior field, the squad notched multiple scoring finishes to place 22nd overall in the team standings.
How Stefan Leb Secured Fifth Place at Under-81kg
Stefan Leb faced a challenging draw in the heavily contested under-81kg category, opening against top-seeded opponents before advancing through the bracket. After falling to the tournament’s second seed, Leb rebounded in the repechage to reach the bronze medal match. In the small final, a minor lapse in concentration allowed his opponent to secure a hold from which Leb could not escape, resulting in a narrow defeat and a fifth-place finish.
Wörmanseder Brothers and Zagler Claim Seventh-Place Finishes
Nico Zagler opened his tournament in the under-60kg division with strong performances but dropped two narrow matches, finishing seventh. In the under-81kg class, Klaus Wörmanseder faced tough opposition after drawing the top seed in the early rounds. Wörmanseder fought back through the repechage to secure seventh place. Meanwhile, under-18 competitor Johannes Wörmanseder debuted in the under-90kg division against eventual national champion Kilian Wallner. After dropping his opening bout, Johannes advanced to the repechage and pushed Samuel Lamm in a closely contested match for a spot in the bronze final before finishing seventh.
National Championships Club Standings
With four scoring finishes across the youth roster, Kirchham accumulated enough points to take 22nd place in the overall club standings at the Oberwart tournament. The championships drew 154 participants from 40 Austrian clubs, highlighting the depth of the senior field that Kirchham’s junior competitors faced.
