Gold rush in Ravensburg: Johanna Kneer wins at the World Games!

Gold rush in Ravensburg: Johanna Kneer wins at the World Games!

Karate fans can rejoice in the city of Ravensburg! Johanna Kneer, a member of the KJC Ravensburg, won a gold medal in the over 68 kilogram weight class at the World Games in Chengdu, China. Loud Swabian Kneer won the decisive fight in the final against Maria Torres Garcia from Spain after she was removed from the competition due to a disqualification after the fifth warning. Most notably, Kneer celebrated this triumph after a thrilling semi-final where she beat Clio Ferracuti of Italy 5-4 - after trailing 0-3 at the start of the match.

But it wasn't just Johanna who was able to defeat her opponents. Her national team colleague Mia Bitsch also won gold in the weight class up to 55 kilograms. A total of around 4,000 athletes will take part in the World Games until August 17th, competing in various sports that are not included in the Olympic program. Qualifying for these prestigious games is anything but easy, as only eight fighters per weight class are allowed to compete based on their rankings or results at the last World Championships.

The path to the medal

Johanna Kneer, who was born on December 25, 1997 and is currently number two in the world in karate, has already celebrated numerous successes in her career. In addition to the gold medal at the World Games, she has also won two gold medals in the women's +68 kg category at the European Karate Championships. Their achievements were recognized not only by the fans, but also by DKV President Wolfgang Weigert, who emphasized the importance of these successes for the German Karate Association.

The athlete did not fail to share her joy at the success achieved, expressing that she had been working towards this moment for a long time. Kneer is one of the most promising talents in the German Karate Association (DKV), which represents over 107,000 members and 2,300 clubs in Germany. Karate has a significant presence in the country and the DKV plays a central role in promoting the sport.

Karate in Germany

Karate, which originated in Japan, has been popular in Germany since the 1950s. The DKV, the only karate association recognized by the German Olympic Sports Confederation, organizes over 100 competitions every year and has numerous funding programs to support talented athletes. For example, there are now over 50 performance centers in which promising karatekas are supported. Karate is also recognized as a school sport, which contributes to the spread of the martial art.

The successes of Johanna Kneer and Mia Bitsch at the World Games are not only personal triumphs, but also help to further strengthen the reputation of karate in Germany and inspire new talent. In a sport that promotes team spirit, discipline and respect, these athletes show what is possible with hard work and dedication.