Judo star Emelie Wagner from Uelzen wins bronze at DM 2025!

Judo star Emelie Wagner from Uelzen wins bronze at DM 2025!

In an impressive performance, Emelie Wagner, a talented judoka from Uelzen, won the bronze medal at the German U18 Individual Championships in Leipzig. The competition, organized by the German Judo Federation, was a real highlight in the German judo calendar, with over 200 female athletes from all over Germany taking part, while the male judoka fought the day before. This medal represents a special achievement as it is the first time in around 15 years that a member of the Uelzen judo community has achieved a podium place at the federal level, reports the AZ.

Wagner, born in 2008, took part in three championships this year in different age groups, including the U18, U21 and women (up to 70 kilograms). In the U18 category she was able to secure third place with an outstanding record of four wins and only one defeat. Her previous successes include second place in the Lower Saxony Championship and the North German Individual Championship in the U18 as well as second place in the Lower Saxony Championship for U21 and Women.

Hard-fought matches

The road to her bronze medal was by no means easy. In the first round, Emelie Wagner had to prevail against Hanna Bölcskei, which required a lot of fighting spirit after extra time. In the subsequent duel against Alina Porokhovnyk, however, she lost in the ground fight. Wagner showed professionalism and handled the defeat well. In the consolation round, however, she once again demonstrated her talent: with a foot sweep technique and a stranglehold, she defeated Tchoute and thus secured the fight for fifth place, which she won against Anna Zakrzewska. Finally, she beat Svenja Keding in the fight for the bronze medal with an inner sickle.

Emelie Wagner trains at the Hanover Olympic Training Center, where she also lives at the sports boarding school. In addition to her sporting commitment, the young athlete attends the Humboldt-Gymnasium in Hanover. Her coaches, Erika and Rolf Muhsik, were extremely proud of Emelie's achievements. On top of that, she was nominated for the athlete election at “Mensch 2025”, an award that recognizes her remarkable development and successes in judo.

The future of judo

The sport of judo is currently experiencing an upswing in Germany. The German Judo Association had around 132,000 members in 2024, after a low of around 116,000 in 2021. Judo is offered at 2,178 clubs in Germany and is therefore accessible to many people, from beginners to professionals. The sport, which has been part of the Olympic Games since 1964 and has also offered competitions for women since 1988, has a long tradition in the Federal Republic.

Emelie Wagner's successes, especially in her most recent competition, are not only cause for joy for the Uelzen judo community, but also a sign of the potential that the sport of judo has for the future. The next few years could be extremely exciting for the young talent and judo history throughout Germany, as you can see in the Judo community Uelzen.

Given the increased popularity and professional level that judoka have achieved in Germany, it will be exciting to see what the future will bring. The sport not only has a variety of opportunities to offer, but also a strong network of clubs and coaches who support the next generation of athletes, which includes the statistics prove.