Judoka Kathi Tanzer

The best present only comes after the Olympics

Katharina Tanzer (blue) fought back impressively and is going to the Olympics.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Katharina Tanzer had to suffer many setbacks before she qualified for the Olympic Games at the very last tournament this year. The judoka spoke to the "Krone" newspaper about her time of suffering, why she had to skip the opening ceremony and who she will soon be adopting.

"Unfortunately, I have to skip the opening ceremony because I'm fighting on the very first day," grins Katharina Tanzer. But she would have two reasons to be happy on 26 July - she turns 29 on that very day. "The Olympic Games are a lifelong dream come true. As a child, I always wanted to be a national champion. That was the biggest goal I could have imagined. Then it was me. After that it was a European Cup, then a World Cup and finally a Grand Slam. And suddenly the Olympics was on the horizon."

Katharina Tanzer

Birthday: July 26, 1995

Place of birth: Scheibbs

Place of residence: Furth an der Triesting

Sport: Judo

Club: SU Noricum Raiba Leibnitz

Successes: Silver at the Grand Slam in Baku (2021), bronze Grand Slam in Tbilisi (2022), twice fifth at Grand Slams, bronze at the European Mixed Team Championships in Minsk (2019), silver at the European Cup in Dubrovnik (2016) and Bratislava (2018), four-time national champion (2023, 2019, 2018, 2016)

The judoka took to the mat for the first time at the age of six. She had actually started with ballet, but the teacher lost interest in teaching. Soccer wasn't an option either. However, judo was offered in the neighboring town, which she was born into anyway. "My mom used to be in the national team. But she didn't really want me to start," laughs the 28-year-old.

"Saw something in me"
In 2013, she went to Vienna to study to become a teacher (mathematics and sport). "Without any great sporting ambitions. I then joined Hupo's (note: Rohregger) club by chance. He saw something in me from the very first training session and was the first person to ever really believe in me," recalls Kathi, who trained with her coach every day from then on. Even after the two years when Rohregger was team coach in Montenegro. 

Coach Hupo Rohregger got his protégé ready for the Olympics.

(Bild: Michael Gratzer)

However, Tanzer also experienced tough years full of suffering before the dream of the Olympics. "I've already had three cruciate ligament operations, unfortunately they botched the first one. During corona, my meniscus got stuck. I wasn't sure whether I would ever be pain-free again," says the Leibnitz club member. She continues: "I've been suffering from a hip injury for a year and a half, so I can't train the way I want to." But she has pulled through. After the Olympics, however, she will need an operation. Whether she will end her career after that is still up in the air. "I don't know what will happen. It also depends on how the operation goes and how my body feels afterwards. What I do know is that I'm still incredibly keen on judo."

Got on the dog
In view of her future, one thing is already clear: Kathi has got the dog! "After the games, I'm adopting one from the animal shelter. Her name is Penny and I'm with her every week so that she can get used to me," beams the successful judoka. And she leaves nothing to chance: "I'm currently reading a book a week about training with dogs. I've also watched all the seasons of 'Der Hundeprofi'," laughs Kathi. Perhaps soon with a medal around her neck.