The Bundesoffenes Mario-Kwiat-Gedächtnisturner in Herne drew 194 male youth judoka to the mats, marking a decline of 35 participants compared to the previous year’s competition. National coach Juan Ignacio Cuneo attended the tournament to evaluate the young talent firsthand as regional clubs from across Germany tested their developmental rosters.
In the 43 kg division featuring nine competitors, Daniel Gupalo of JC Kim-Chi Wiesbaden claimed the title over runner-up Illia Menkov from TSV Großhadern. Gustav Kemmesies of PSV Berlin and Thore Schneider of JC Jena shared third place.
The 46 kg category saw eight athletes enter, ending with Alexander Kremer of PSV Berlin taking the gold medal. Ivan Steshenko of TSV Großhadern finished second, while Johan Glombik of JC Greven and Nils Matusche of TSV Großhadern rounded out the podium in third.
Linus Isa Erten from Sport-Union Annen captured the 50 kg division title among a 14-fighter field, defeating David Tantuc of UJKC Potsdam in the final. Jonas Dosch of JSV Speyer and Kyryl Batiuk of Jahn Nürnberg earned bronze medals in the same weight class.
Heavy Bouts and Large Brackets in Middleweight Divisions
The tournament’s largest competitive fields emerged in the 55 kg, 60 kg, and 66 kg brackets, each featuring more than thirty entries that pushed athletes through demanding preliminary rounds.
In the 33-man 55 kg bracket, Mariano Stolakis of PSV Berlin secured first place by outlasting Ali Gaffarli of JV Leipzig-Stahmeln in the final. Aaron Joshua Keller of TSG Nordwest Frankfurt and Ansgar Leupold of UJKC Potsdam took third. Another 33-judoka contest in the 60 kg division went to Sou Garve of UJKC Potsdam, who defeated Arthur Kremer of PSV Berlin. Fuldaer JC collected the bronze medals.
The 66 kg class drew the tournament’s largest turnout with 41 participants. Stephan Wurm of TH Eilbeck claimed the gold medal after defeating Elias Heister of TuS Reuschenberg in the decisive match. Daniel Bulinger of Jahn Nürnberg and Leonidas Psaltiras of VfL Sindelfingen earned third-place finishes.
In the 30-person 73 kg category, Maxim Scherping of Kaizen Berlin finished at the top of the podium, followed by silver medalist Alexandrino Lates of KSV Esslingen. Edem Kurtumerov of JC Wiesbaden and Per Lesebühlbacher of Heidelberger JC took bronze.
Upper Weight Class Victories at the Herne Event
Johann Schwenke of JC Halle won the 81 kg division, which featured 12 entries, defeating Louis-Alexander Moor of PSV Olympia Berlin in the final. Florian Werkle of JC Ingelheim and Till-Louis Wiesenberger of PSV Leipzig secured third place. The 90 kg class, featuring six judoka, concluded with Saged Al-Hassani of PSV Eisenach taking the title ahead of runner-up Moise Sillah of the Judo-Verband Berlin. Julian Graeber of FC Stella Bevergern and Maksym Halahan of Budo-Sportverein Nippon Schleiz placed third.
In the over-90 kg category with eight competitors, Lucas Stettinsky of Kaizen Berlin earned the gold medal over Adem Sinanovic of VfL Sindelfingen. Armen Mkrtchyan of 1.
Holzwickede Welcomes 119 Competitors for Women’s U17 Sichtungsturnier
While the male youth competed in Herne, 119 female athletes representing 16 regional associations gathered in Holzwickede for the women’s under-17 federal selection tournament.
The 40 kg division, contested by three athletes, ended with Mara Himmes of Osterather TV taking first place ahead of Lina Ließ of TSB Ravensburg and Haylie Hampfe of Blau-Weiss Buchholz. In the five-person 44 kg bracket, Martha Wandel of TuS Hermannsburg claimed the gold medal, defeating Leia Deeb of SSF Bonn. Mariia Shlykova of Jahn Nürnberg and Zoey Möllmann of JSG Ahlen earned bronze.
Helene Kratzer of KSV Esslingen won the 14-athlete 48 kg class, overcoming Lisa Mix of TSV Großhadern in the final match. Lilly-Marie Griesinger of JV Nürtingen and Michelle Steinberg of Homburger TG finished in third place.
Midweight and Heavyweight Winners in Holzwickede
Anna Reitmann of JC Leipzig claimed the 52 kg title in a 25-judoka field, defeating Eva Wurm of TH Eilbeck in the final. Karolina Marszeniuk of TSV Abensberg and Skyla Elaine Hertwig of PSV Erfurt secured third place.
In the 57 kg division featuring 23 participants, Sophia Nebhuth of JC Wiesbaden earned the gold medal over Isabel Syeromolotova of Jahn Nürnberg. Babette Wegeler of JSV Speyer and Elena Rina Sagona of JC Folsterhöhe rounded out the podium. Charlotte Kronenthal of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen won the 24-athlete 63 kg bracket, defeating Yuna Laleike of JC 71 Düsseldorf. Janne Dreier of JG Sachsenwald and Marlies Eckmann of TH Eilbeck took bronze.
Amelie Pilz of UJKC Potsdam captured the 70 kg class among 15 competitors, outperforming Frieda Hanni Zschiesche of JC Leipzig in the final. Charlotte Blaum of Judoverein Pankow and Sofia Khristoforova of Judozentrum Heubach placed third.
The upper weight categories concluded with Hanna Kemme of Crocodiles Osnabrück winning the 78 kg division ahead of Finja Kuckert of Sportfreunde Kladow, while Finnja Stiller of Judoka Rauxel and Lea Schaff of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen earned bronze. In the over-78 kg class, Hidaya Morou of Post Südstadt Karlsruhe took first place, defeating Elisabeth Buschmann of TuS Wannsee in the final match, with Amelie Chougui of JC Sakura Herzogenrath and Laura Yilmaz of Judozentrum Heubach taking third.
