Aline Rotter-Focken The German Wrestling Association (DRB) has delivered a historic victory. The former world champion defeated five-time world champion Adeline Grave of the United States in the final of Tokyo 7: 3. The first Olympic medal for a German female wrestler – then immediately gold.
For the 30-year-old it was a special fight in every way.
Not only did she go as a foreigner to the finals in the weight category up to 76 kilograms, but also her last chance for Olympic gold. Rotor-Foken had previously said that these games would be the end of their lives.
After the fight the wrestler said “I have been drawing from this moment for many years.” “I’ve been joking for years. I’ll save this for the perfect ending.” In the fight, she had no doubt she could win her favorite that day. “I have to bring this home now, no matter what the circumstances,” she described her thoughts during the Rotor-Foken fight.
Against him and his close friend Grave, Rotor-Foken was last knocked out in the 2019 World Cup. With the victories of Belarus’ Vasilissa Marceljuk, Chinese Qian Zhao and Asian champion Hiro Minakawa of Japan, he advanced to the finals to seek revenge.
Rotor-Phoen took advantage of this and showed an amazing performance towards the end of his career.
Change in German wrestling
In addition to gold, Rotor-Phoen won three World Cup medals in 2014: silver in 2017, bronze in 2015 and 2019. National coach Patrick Lois said, “Of course we will lose Ally – draft horse, training partner and teammate. But it will not disappear completely.”
They want to try to integrate athletics with structures in the future. “She did a lot for our game and will continue to do so,” said sports director Janice Jamanturitis.
Until now, only male wrestlers in Germany have won Olympic gold. Mike Pullman, who won Barcelona in 1992, is the last Olympic champion from the DRP rankings. Alexander LeBold won 2000 gold in Sydney. After the controversial doping process, he won the competition legally, but for legal reasons he was not allowed to call himself the Olympic champion.
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