Theresa Stoll says farewell to top judo

Theresa Stoll will end her judo career this year. Last year she took a bronze medal at the World Championships in Budapest. She won the Grand Prix Düsseldorf 2017 as youngest German ever and claimed victories in the IJF World Tour in Tbilisi and Tashkent and was in six finals. She took three European Championships medals and competed at the Tokyo Olympic Games where she took a bronze medal with the German team. With the team she also captured the European title in 2018 and claimed the European title for athletes U23 years in 2016.

After 20 years in judo, the successful athlete from TSV München-Großhadern and twin sister of Amelie made a serious decision saying farewell to her top sport career.

Stoll: "The best times in life are the little moments when you feel so free and light that you feel like you're flying! And it is exactly these moments that I have been able to experience again and again over the last 20 years thanks to my passion for judo. And these moments were also what motivated me in the hard times to always keep going and believe in my big goals.

I was able to fulfil my big goal and my childhood dream of participating in the Olympic Games last year. That it even ended up with a medal in the team still makes me damn proud and happy. I will never forget this day when we surpassed ourselves as a team! But that day was also the last time I stood on the mat at a competition.

A lot has happened since then: I had two surgeries and spent a lot of time off the mat and in rehab. However, I was also able to complete the last courses and internships of my studies and am now about to take my second state exam. I had a lot of time to think about myself and my next sporting goals and realised that the fire in me just isn't burning any more...

It is one of the most difficult decisions of my life and yet I know it is the right one. And that's why I'm saying goodbye to my life as a competitive athlete at the end of the year and starting a whole new chapter.”

“I had the opportunity to travel through the most different countries of the world and to collect unbelievably beautiful experiences. In addition to my best friends, I was able to meet so many other wonderful people. At this point, I would like to say a huge thank you to my family, my sister, my friends and the many supporters and companions, without whom this whole journey would never have been possible!"

In the end, one thing remains above all: GRATEFULLNESS!

FAREWELL OF ATHLETES

Besides Theresa Stoll, also Sven Heinle, Jasmin Grabowski and Martyna Trajdos announced their retirement.