Christian Krüger of the 1. Christian Krüger vom 1. Fuldaer Judo Club claimed his 60th career tournament victory at the 60th-anniversary competition hosted by Judo-Club Tiengen, osthessen-zeitung.de reported. The milestone event took place last weekend in Waldshut-Tiengen, situated directly on the Swiss border between Schaffhausen and Basel.
Opening matches in the under-64.5 kilogram pool
Competing in a four-fighter pool for athletes up to 64.5 kilograms, Krüger opened his tournament against Jonas Weinheimer. Krüger dispatched his first opponent in just 16 seconds, executing a Seoi-otoshi throw to secure victory.
His second bout brought a meeting with Paul Bäumle of JC Kawaishi Bad Säckingen. Krüger finished that contest even faster, taking twelve seconds to score with an O-goshi. He acknowledged after the match that he rarely employs that specific technique, stating that it simply presented itself when he found the right positioning.
The final against Erik Schlegel
The tournament concluded with a showdown against Erik Schlegel of TV Heitersheim, who had likewise won his previous bouts in quick succession. Because Schlegel stood nearly a head shorter than Krüger, the Fulda competitor had to adjust his tactics for the smaller, highly agile opponent.
Krüger encountered early resistance from Schlegel but maintained control throughout the encounter. He scored a Yuko evaluation at the 30-second mark using a Tai-otoshi. At the one-minute-and-thirty-second mark, Krüger secured the decisive Ippon with a deep Seoi-nage to seal his 60th tournament title.
Strong second-half form
The victory in Waldshut-Tiengen marks Krüger’s fourth tournament win during the second half of the competitive year. Combined with two second-place finishes over the same span, the latest result highlights his ongoing momentum on the mat.
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