Wolfsburg's judo hope: Sarah Ischt fights for her Olympic dream!

Wolfsburg's judo hope: Sarah Ischt fights for her Olympic dream!

There's a lot going on in the world of judo right now, and a very special story comes from Wolfsburg. Sarah Ischt, a 25-year-old judoka, has the unique opportunity to prepare for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The former European U23 champion has now been called up to the perspective squad and dreams of a medal, like [WAZ Online].

But the road to Olympic glory remains rocky. The German Judo Federation (DJB) has to contend with a cut of around 500,000 euros in funding from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, which of course also affects the financial support of the athletes. This decision was based on the male judokas performing poorly in major tournaments.

A supporter in the corner

However, Sarah Ischt is not alone in this challenging situation. Klaus Glahn, the former Olympic medalist and a real veteran of judo, has set up a support group to actively support Ischt in her Olympic preparation. Glahn is convinced that with appropriate support, a medal at the L.A. Games would be entirely possible for Ischt.

Thanks to the support group, Sarah was already able to take part in the Grand Slam in Ulaanbaatar, where she was able to prove herself with a strong fifth place. In addition, she will also receive support from the Bundeswehr from November while she completes her basic training in Cologne. The commitment of VfL Wolfsburg, your club, is also remarkable.

A look at the successes

Sarah Ischt has already achieved some impressive results in her young career. Her greatest sporting achievements include:

• 2021: 5. Platz Europameisterschaft U23 in Budapest
• 2024: 1. Platz European Cup in Pale
• 2024: 1. Platz World Cup in Madrid
• 2024: 5. Platz Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi
• 2024: 1. Platz Deutsche Meisterschaft in Stuttgart
• 2025: 5. Platz Grand Prix in Linz

Fascinated by judo since the age of six, Sarah didn't just choose the sport for the sake of it. Her father, a weightlifter and coach at VfL Wolfsburg, inspired her and instilled important values ​​such as discipline and ambition. Her life motto – “Focus on improving yourself, not proving yourself” – shows how seriously she takes her job and her sport.

A committed role model

She doesn't just do all of this for herself. Sarah is also actively involved in her hometown by offering training to children in a club in order to promote new talents and awaken enthusiasm for judo. She would like to see more attention and interest from children and parents, as judo not only promotes physical skills, but also teaches life values.

With her current world ranking position 25, Sarah Ischt has definitely laid a good foundation. If she continues to work hard and receive the support she needs, her Olympic dream could soon come true and we may soon see her on the podium in Los Angeles with a medal around her neck. If you would like to find out more about her progress, you can follow her on Instagram: @sarah.ischt.