“It’s been a quite long dry spell, I haven’t won since March 2023 and haven’t been on the podium since my silver medal at the World Championships in Doha. It feels really good to be back on top,” said a delighted Audrey TCHEUMEO (FRA/-78) after her fifth European Championship title, a full 13 years after her first triumph in Istanbul in 2011. “And it was anything but easy today,” added the 34-year-old with a smile. Defending champion Alina BÖHM (GER) awaited her in the quarter-finals, the semi-finals were a repeat of the World Championship final in Doha against world number one Inbar LANIR (ISR) and in the final the Frenchwoman was up against former world champion Anna-Maria WAGNER (GER). The personal head-to-head score was 2:5, and Audrey was once again considered the underdog. “I really wanted to win, but I didn’t really have a strategy. I reacted intuitively and I’m incredibly relieved to have finally won again.”
Why does Audrey, a two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion, always perform at her best at the European Championships? “Of course I always go to the European Championships with a good feeling, I’m not really under pressure any more – after so many titles. To be honest, I didn’t expect it to work out today. This victory means a lot to me.”
Now we can expect another top-result from the world number nine at the World Championships in Abu Dhabi. Perhaps even another victory…
Author: EJU Media