The golden girl this weekend was Austria’s Elena Dengg, who stole the show, as she was able to capture the World Junior title in the category -70 kg and raise the flag for Austria.
Last year, Dengg won a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in Odivelas but this weekend, the Austrian was able to go all the way and in the end of the day be crowned Junior World Junior Champion.
Dengg is following in the footsteps of a number of successful IPPONGEAR athletes, who once held the World Junior title in the weight category -70 kg. Among them, Austria’s Bernadette Graf, who was World Junior Champion back in 2011 and current Olympic Champion and double World Champion Croatia’s Barbara Matic, who won the World Junior title in 2013 and 2014.
Will we see Dengg top the Olympic podium in the future?
Local hero Loiq Kudbudinov gave the home crowd something to cheer for, as he was able to make it all the way to the final in the -60 kg category and in the end of the day, secure the title Vice-World Junior Champion.
The young Tajik won an Asian Cup as well as a European cup this year, however in the Cadet division. The Junior World Championships was Kudbudinov’s first competition in the Junior division and what a way to make a debut! The future is bright for this young man.
Ana Skalska of Czech Republic could be thrilled about capturing the second major medal of her career in the span on just one month, as she clinched a bronze medal in the category -63 kg.
Skalska captured a bronze medal at the European Junior Championships in Tallinn last month and after this weekend, the Czech can now also call herself Junior World Junior bronze medallist. Skalska came close to a podium spot at the European Junior Tour twice this year but narrowly missed out, leaving her with two fifth places. However, Skalska ended up clinching two major medals instead - What a way to close the season!
Congratulations to our IPPONGEAR athletes for the great results at this year’s World Junior Championship - The future is yours!
All IPPONGEAR athletes competed in the IPPONGEAR Legend 2, Europe’s #1 IJF Judo Gi. Get 10% OFF your own IPPONGEAR Judo Gi using the code UNITEDBYJUDO.
