Vice world champion Katharina Menz lost the new edition of the 2022 World Cup final at the Judo World Cup in Doha and was eliminated in the round of 16.
The 32-year-old from TSG Backnang lost in the class up to 48kg to the Japanese defending champion Natsumi Tsunoda. Menz twice conceded the second-highest score (waza-ari) and missed a chance for a medal.
She had set this as her goal again in Qatar, even if “the last tournaments didn’t go really well”. Menz won her first two fights on the first day of the World Cup against Priscilla Morand (Mauritius) and the Swede Tara Babulfath. Against Tsunoda, world champion of the past two years, it was over after two and a half minutes.
In addition to Menz, Maximilian Standke (up to 60kg) also hit the mat on Sunday. The World Cup newcomer from KSC Asahi Spremberg lost in the first round against Barros Leonardo de Sa Menezes (Angola).
A total of 17 German judoka will be competing in the individual competitions in Doha. Eduard Trippel and Anna-Maria Wagner are missing from the German team. Trippel, who won silver in the 90kg class at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, had to pull out with a knee injury. Wagner, twice decorated with bronze in Tokyo, cannot start because of a shoulder injury.