Michaela Polleres Secures Host Nation Gold at Linz Grand Prix

LINZ – Michaela Polleres delivered a triumphant victory for Austria at the 2026 Upper Austria Grand Prix in Linz on Saturday, winning gold in the -70kg category. The two-time Olympic medalist defeated Switzerland’s April Lynn Fohouo in the final, securing her seventh World Judo Tour gold medal.

Polleres’ Path to Gold

Polleres, seeded fifth, showcased her experience and skill throughout the tournament. She overcame a challenging start to ultimately dominate her opponents. Her journey to the final included victories against Anna Skalska (CZE), Barbara Timo (POR), Kelly Petersen Pollard (GBR) and Samira Bock (GER). The final against junior world champion April Lynn Fohouo proved to be a particularly intense contest, extending into golden score before Polleres secured ippon.

A Golden Score Finish

The final between Polleres and Fohouo was a display of high-level judo, with both athletes demonstrating skillful attacks and defenses. After more than four minutes of relentless action, Polleres capitalized on a crucial moment, tipping Fohouo off balance and securing ippon. JudoInside.com reported the arena erupted in applause as Polleres claimed the gold medal.

Return to Competition and Future Prospects

This victory marks a significant milestone for Polleres, who had only competed twice since winning her second Olympic medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She had previously taken bronze in Linz in 2024. Despite a recent cold and a break of over a year from competition, Polleres demonstrated exceptional form and resilience. The European Judo Union highlighted her confidence and control throughout the tournament.

Reactions to Polleres’ Victory

“The atmosphere in the hall was incredible, they were chanting my name, my family, my friends and many colleagues from the club were there. It is very special to win in front of your home crowd, especially after the long break and with me having a disappointing cold. I struggled in the first fight but then it got better and better. In the final, I was very well prepared and just made sure that she couldn’t use her special technique, o-soto-gari. That worked well. I was the stronger fighter, the victory was only a matter of time,” Polleres stated after the medal ceremony.

Austrian Judo Federation head coach Yvonne Snir-Bönisch praised Polleres’ performance, noting, “It’s impressive how well Michi fought today. It’s only her third tournament after more than a year’s break from competition and she had a cold too. Only an exceptional athlete like Michi can do that. Congratulations!”

Previous Achievements

Polleres’ gold medal in Linz adds to an already impressive career. She has previously won Olympic silver (2020) and bronze (2024), as well as gold at the IJF Masters in 2022. She also secured Grand Prix gold medals in Cancun and Tashkent in 2018, and Grand Slam victories in Antalya and Dushanbe in 2024. The International Judo Federation acknowledges her consistent success on the World Judo Tour.