Superb Waechter the top with another top performance

Viola Waechter was getting better each event and was already good in Dusseldorf but at the Grand Prix in Samsun Waechter surprised the top favourites by capturing the gold medal U57kg. As the top seeded athlete of the category, Sabrina FILZMOSER (AUT), was eliminated during the first rounds, the last female final of the day opposed the bronze medallist of the last world championships in Chelyabinsk, Sanne VERHAGEN (NED) and Viola WAECHTER (GER), who was not among the favourites at the beginning of the day.

Taller than her opponent, WAECHTER produced a first attempt to score with a uchi-mata, but as VERHAGEN was reacting backwards, the German combined with an extraordinary o-soto-gari for a clear ippon.

Viola WAECHTER said: “Technically and mentally speaking I was on the top all day long. It was hard, tough and very long, but I remained focus throughout the day. I am happy that I could score with different technic and even in ne-waza. I concluded the day with a fantastic movement. This is good. Tomorrow I’m going back home and then we are leaving for a two-week-training-camp in Japan.“

The first bronze medal fight opposed the second German athlete of the category, Johanna MUELLER (GER) and the silver medallist of the last Olympic Games Corina CAPRIORIU (ROU), who was defeated by WAECHTER in the semi-final. But while one German was destined for gold, this time CAPRIORIU did not release the pressure to score a yuko with a tomo-nage, before controlling the rest of the fight for a place on the podium.

In the second bronze medal contest, the bronze medallist of the last year Ulaanbaatar Grand Prix, Tina ZELTNER (AUT) faced Nekoda SMYTHE DAVIS (GBR), who also obtained a bronze medal last year on the occasion of a World Judo Tour event, but that was in Astana, where the upcoming World Championships are going to be held in August 2015. An incredible scenario was offered to the public by both athletes, Tina ZELTNER leading with a yuko and a waza-ari before Nekoda SMYTHE DAVIS came back to finally win the medal.