Gold Bronze Linz
- Linz, Austria – the 2025 Upper Austria Grand Prix kicked off with intense judo action, showcasing over 400 athletes.
- Seija Ballhaus (TSV München-Großhadern - BY) demonstrated exceptional skill at the Upper Austria Grand Prix in Linz.
- Her journey to the gold medal continued with a Yuko victory against Riko Honda of Japan in the semi-final, setting the stage for a final showdown.
Judo Grand Prix linz 2025: Seija Ballhaus Claims Gold
Table of Contents
- Judo Grand Prix linz 2025: Seija Ballhaus Claims Gold
- Upper Austria Judo Grand Prix 2025: Q&A on Key Results and What’s next
Linz, Austria – the 2025 Upper Austria Grand Prix kicked off with intense judo action, showcasing over 400 athletes. Several athletes emerged victorious, including Seija Ballhaus, who dominated in her category.
Seija Ballhaus Shines with Gold Medal Performance
Seija Ballhaus (TSV München-Großhadern – BY) demonstrated exceptional skill at the Upper Austria Grand Prix in Linz. After a bye, she secured victories against Dora Bortas of Croatia and Marta Garcia Martin of Spain, both with extraordinary Ippon finishes in just over two minutes.
Her journey to the gold medal continued with a Yuko victory against Riko Honda of Japan in the semi-final, setting the stage for a final showdown. In a swift and decisive final, Ballhaus defeated Nika Tomc of Slovenia in just 45 seconds, claiming the gold medal.
Ich habe mich heute sehr gut gefühlt. Viele Dinge,an denen wir in letzter Zeit gearbeitet haben,die haben heute gut funktioniert. ich bin sehr stolz auf mich, dass ich diesen Tag mit Gold beenden konnte und bin motiviert für die nächsten Aufgaben.
Ballhaus’s performance underscores her dedication and the effectiveness of her training, leaving her motivated for future competitions.
Mascha Ballhaus Takes Home Bronze
Mascha Ballhaus (TH Eilbeck – HH) faced a challenging start after her bye. She managed to secure a win against Evelyn Beaton of Canada with a Yuko after more than six minutes of intense competition. However, she faced defeat against Naomi van Krevel of the Netherlands in the pool final, losing by Ippon after about one and a half minutes.
Undeterred, Mascha continued her fight in the repechage, defeating roza Gyertyas of Hungary with an Ippon in the opening seconds of overtime. She then secured the bronze medal by defeating Reka Pupp, also from Hungary, with an Ippon just before the end of regular time.
Ich habe mich heute nicht so gut gefühlt, bin nicht so ins Turnier gestartet, wie ich es gerne hätte und war mental auch nicht so präsent, wie ich es kann.Ich bin dennoch stolz auf mich, dass ich auch an einem nicht perfekten Tag eine Medaille gewinnen konnte und auch im Kampf um Bronze dann wieder in meine gewünschte Form gefunden habe. Ich bin super glücklich, dass ich die Medaille mit Seija zusammen feiern kann.
Despite not feeling at her best, Mascha’s resilience and determination allowed her to secure a well-deserved bronze medal, adding to the Ballhaus family’s success at the Grand Prix.
Nicolas Kunze Achieves Placement in -66 kg Category
Nicolas Kunze (MTSV Aerzen – NS) made his mark in the -66 kg class. He faced a tough start against Francesco Cargnelutti of Italy,eventually winning with a second Yuko after over nine minutes of fighting. In his second match against Anthony de Angelis of Latvia, Kunze scored multiple times, securing the win with a second Waza-ari in the final minute, advancing to the pool final against Shuntaro Fukudu of Japan.
After nearly six and a half minutes, Kunze was defeated by a Yuko, sending him to the repechage. He won his first repechage match against Jusuf Nurkovic of Montenegro with two Yukos but was defeated by Kairi Kentoku of Japan in the bronze medal match, finishing fifth overall.
Other Results
unfortunately,Nicolas Kutscher (-60 kg),Noel Schmidt (-66 kg),Sarah Ischt (-48 kg),Nicole Stakhov,and Pauline Starke (-57 kg) were eliminated after losing their initial matches.
Looking Ahead: Day 2 Schedule
The competition continues on Saturday,February 15,2025,with the following weight classes:
Women:
- -63 kg: Viktoria Folger,Sportfreunde Kladow – BE
- -63 kg: Friederike Stolze,SV Halle – ST
- -70 kg: Dena Pohl,UJKC Potsdam – BB
- -70 kg: Tayla Grauer,TSG backnang - BW
men:
- -73 kg: Kevin Abeltshauser,TSV Abensberg - BY
- -81 kg: Vladimir Stark,KKK Berlin – BE
- -81 kg: Tim Gramkow,TKJ Sarstedt – NS
Saturday,February 15,2025 Schedule:
- Weight classes: Women: -63 kg,-70 kg; Men: -73 kg,-81 kg
- competition start time to be announced.
- 17:00: Finals
Stay tuned for more updates from the Upper Austria Grand Prix in Linz!
Upper Austria Judo Grand Prix 2025: Q&A on Key Results and What’s next
Seija Ballhaus’s Gold Medal Victory
1. how did Seija Ballhaus perform at teh Upper Austria Grand Prix 2025?
Answer: seija Ballhaus delivered an outstanding performance, winning the gold medal in her category. She secured victories against Dora Bortas of Croatia and marta Garcia Martin of Spain with Ippon finishes in just over two minutes each. After defeating Riko Honda of Japan with a Yuko in the semi-final, she won the final against Nika tomc of Slovenia in a swift 45 seconds. Her performance highlighted her dedication and effective training.
2. What did Seija Ballhaus say after her gold medal win?
Answer: in her own words (translated): “I felt very good today. Many things we have worked on recently have worked well today. I am very proud of myself that I was able to end this day with gold and am motivated for the next tasks.”
3. Which judo techniques led to Seija Ballhaus winning her matches?
Answer: The article highlights that Seija won two matches with “extraordinary Ippon finishes” and another with a “Yuko” victory. While the specific Ippon techniques aren’t mentioned, Ippon generally signifies a decisive win through a throw, hold, submission, or strike. A “Yuko” is a lesser score awarded for a good (but not perfect) throw.
Mascha Ballhaus’s Bronze Medal Win
4. How did Mascha Ballhaus fare at the Upper Austria Grand Prix?
Answer: Mascha Ballhaus secured a bronze medal despite not feeling her best. after a bye, she won against Evelyn Beaton of Canada with a Yuko but lost to Naomi van Krevel of the Netherlands.In the repechage, she defeated Roza Gyertyas of Hungary with an Ippon in overtime and then secured the bronze against Reka Pupp, also from hungary, with an Ippon near the end of regular time.
5. What were Mascha Ballhaus’s thoughts on her bronze medal performance?
Answer: (Translated): “I didn’t feel so good today, I didn’t start the tournament the way I would have liked and wasn’t as mentally present as I can be. Still, I am proud of myself that I was able to win a medal even on an imperfect day and found my desired form again in the fight for bronze. I am super happy that I can celebrate the medal with Seija together.”
Nicolas Kunze’s Performance
6. What was Nicolas Kunze’s result in the -66 kg category?
Answer: Nicolas Kunze finished fifth overall in the -66 kg category. He won his first two matches but lost in the pool final to Shuntaro Fukudu of Japan. After winning his first repechage match, he was defeated by Kairi Kentoku of Japan in the bronze medal match.
Other Notable Results and Participants
7. Which other athletes participated from the German team, and how did they perform?
Answer: Other participants included:
Nicolas Kutscher (-60 kg): Eliminated after losing his initial match.
Noel Schmidt (-66 kg): Eliminated after losing his initial match.
Sarah Ischt (-48 kg): Eliminated after losing her initial match.
Nicole Stakhov: Eliminated after losing her initial match.
Pauline Starke (-57 kg): eliminated after losing her initial match.
Day 2 Schedule: February 15, 2025
8. What is the schedule for Day 2 of the upper Austria Grand Prix?
answer: The competition on February 15, 2025, features the following weight classes:
Women: -63 kg, -70 kg
Men: -73 kg, -81 kg
The finals are scheduled for 17:00.The exact competition start time is to be announced.
9. Which athletes are competing on Day 2?
Answer: The following athletes are scheduled to compete:
Women:
Viktoria Folger (-63 kg), Sportfreunde Kladow – BE
Friederike Stolze (-63 kg), SV Halle – ST
Dena Pohl (-70 kg), UJKC Potsdam – BB
Tayla Grauer (-70 kg), TSG Backnang – BW
Men:
Kevin abeltshauser (-73 kg), TSV Abensberg – BY
Vladimir Stark (-81 kg), KKK Berlin – BE
Tim Gramkow (-81 kg), TKJ Sarstedt – NS
Judo Scores Explained
10. What are the different scores in judo and what do they mean?
Answer: Hear are the main Judo scores from highest to lowest:
Ippon: This is the highest score in Judo and signifies an immediate win.It can be awarded for a throw that lands an opponent largely on their back with considerable force, a pin that lasts for 20 seconds, or a submission via armlock or chokehold.
Waza-ari: This is the second highest score awarded in Judo.Usually this is from a good throw,but not quite ippon.Two Waza-ari equal Ippon, the match will end instantly.
* Yuko: A Yuko score is awarded for less notable throws.
Summary of Medal Winners
| Athlete | Category | Medal |
| —————- | ——– | —– |
| Seija Ballhaus | | Gold |
| Mascha Ballhaus | | Bronze|
| Nicolas Kunze | -66 kg | 5th |