Jenny Warling won silver at the European Karate Championships in Yerevan after a closely contested final against world number three Mia Bitsch, and now sets her sights on the World Championships.
Luxembourg’s sporting world turned its attention to Armenia, where Jenny Warling competed at the European Karate Championships in Yerevan with a chance to claim her second European title in the -55 kg category, having first won it in 2019. Facing her on the tatami was no easy opponent – Germany’s Mia Bitsch.
Bitsch, currently ranked third in the world and the reigning European champion, was looking to defend her title. Warling, from Walferdange, had previously beaten the German fighter, making the final a closely matched 50-50 encounter.
In the end, Warling had to settle for silver, after a 4-1 defeat. The bout began cautiously, with neither athlete taking early risks, which led to both receiving three warnings for passivity. With 21 seconds remaining, Warling scored the opening point, but Bitsch quickly equalised – though the point was only awarded after a video review. Just two seconds before the final buzzer, Bitsch landed a decisive head kick, earning three points and securing the win.
Despite missing out on the gold, Warling drew a positive conclusion from her performance, saying she was pleased overall and that the competition had gone well, even if the “cherry on the cake” was missing. She added that she now looks forward to focusing fully on the World Championships, as her place in the World Championships is now confirmed.
© FLK
