Anna-Maria Wagner blasts to second World Title and Olympic Spot

Germany's Anna-Maria Wagner demonstrated her dominance and secured her second world title in the -78kg category at the 2024 World Judo Championships in Abu Dhabi. In doing so, she solidified her place in the upcoming Olympic Games, cementing her status as a top contender for Olympic gold.

Wagner, chased closely by her German teammates Alina Boehm and Anna-Monta Olek, both ranked in the world’s top ten, maintained her pole position with grace and determination. She entered the final against Italy’s Alice Bellandi already assured of her Olympic qualification, allowing her to focus entirely on her performance.

Ahead of the final, Wagner appeared relaxed, emphasizing her approach of taking each match as it comes. "Today was not about the Olympic ticket. I wanted to give everything fight by fight and be able to use my dominant grip. I only look fight by fight, and therefore this is not the final; it’s my 5th fight. The Olympics is still a long way away," Wagner stated.

In the final, Wagner controlled the first three minutes, forcing Bellandi to accept two penalties. However, Bellandi began to solve Wagner’s gripping strategy and launched two osoto-garis that nearly scored. Bellandi’s mistake came when she reverted to a seoi-otoshi. Wagner, anticipating this, held the lapel and applied a devastating shime-waza, securing her victory with a second world title. Her performance was a clear message to her competitors ahead of the Olympic Games.

Bronze Medal Contests

Madeleine Malonga (FRA), a former world champion, claimed the first bronze medal against Jeongyun Lee (KOR). Despite Lee’s strong showing throughout the day, including a shoulder throw that scored early in the match, Malonga’s experience and tactical prowess ultimately led to Lee’s third penalty, handing Malonga the victory.

The second bronze medal was contested between Audrey Tcheumeo (FRA) and Emma Reid (GBR). Tcheumeo started aggressively, scoring waza-ari with an o-uchi to uchi-mata combination and transitioning into kesa-gatame. However, Reid’s tenacity shone through as she executed a bridge to roll Tcheumeo and applied her own kesa-gatame for ippon, marking her best performance to date.

The Journey of Alice Bellandi

Silver medallist Alice Bellandi (ITA) had a challenging yet impressive path to the final. She threw Chala (ECU) for ippon and defeated Sampaio (POR) in golden score with a waza-ari. Bellandi then faced Tcheumeo in the quarter-finals, where she demonstrated tactical superiority, leading to Tcheumeo’s disqualification via penalties. In the semi-finals, Bellandi continued her form by throwing Malonga with a massive osoto-gari, ensuring Italy’s representation in the final.

Looking Forward to the Olympics

Wagner’s victory not only adds another accolade to her career but also positions her as a leading contender for Olympic gold. Reflecting on her past experiences, including a bronze medal in Tokyo 2021, Wagner enters the Olympic year with confidence and valuable experience.

Germany can look forward to Wagner's participation in the Olympics, assured of her capabilities and mental fortitude. With her second world title in hand, Wagner has issued a statement to her competitors: she is ready to conquer the Olympic stage.

This victory in Abu Dhabi underscores the depth and talent within Germany U78kg, with Wagner leading the charge as a formidable force on the world stage.