15 Dec 2023 15:50
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Linz commemorates 50 years World Championships in Austria
4 Mar 2025 13:50
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Photo by David Finch/Getty Images
At the 3rd edition of the Upper Austria Judo Grand Prix in Linz’s TipsArena (March 7–9), the first competition day, before the final block at 5 PM, will also leave time to reflect on a piece of Austria’s judo history. Nearly 50 years have passed since the 9th Men's Judo World Championship took place in Vienna’s Stadthalle from October 23 to 25, 1975. Witnesses Gerold Jungwirth, who competed in the middleweight category (-80 kg) at the time, and Paul Fiala, one of approximately 200 volunteers working for the organizing committee, will look back on this historic three-day event in a conversation with arena announcer Tom Bläumauer.
Key Facts and Figures About Austria’s Only Judo World Championship – 1975:
• Vienna competed with Madrid to host the 1975 World Championships. Both candidates received 24 votes, and IJF President Charles Palmer (GBR) ultimately chose Vienna.
• It was the ninth men's World Championship in IJF history. A total of 231 judoka from 41 nations competed in six weight categories. There were 167 accredited coaches. The IJF had 15 board members and 19 referees on-site. Additionally, 200 Austrian Judo Federation (ÖJV) volunteers ensured smooth operations.
• Host nation Austria sent ten athletes to the competition. Hans Pollak placed seventh in the half-heavyweight category (-93 kg). In preparation, the World Championship squad was brought together for six months at the Maria-Theresien-Kaserne under the guidance of national coach Ernst Raser and assistant coach Josef Voda.
• The Austrian World Championship participants:
-63 kg: Jürgen Radspieler, Willi Reizelsdorfer
-70 kg: Gerhard Jungwirth, Helmut Oberhuber
-80 kg: Eduard Aellig, Gerold Jungwirth
-93 kg: Hans Pollak, Alfred Reichl
+93 kg: Reinhold Gangl, Gerald Maurer
Open category: Reinhold Gangl, Hans Pollak
• For the first time in World Championship history, Europe secured two gold medals (-70 kg: Vladimir Nevzorov/Soviet Union, -93 kg: Jean-Luc Rougé/France).
• Three-day tickets for the Stadthalle ranged from 250 to 800 Austrian schillings (equivalent to approximately 73 to 233 euros today). Over the three days, a total of 15,000 spectators attended the event.
• Ahead of the World Championships, the ÖJV sold a total of 4,000 championship T-shirts, 10,000 mini-mascots, and 10,000 championship stickers.
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23 Oct 1975
Valery DVOINIKOV (URS) - Vladimir NEVZOROV (URS) @ World Championships Vienna 1975
Judo birthday
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