Germany’s top hope lives and trains in Heidelberg. He’s chasing his dream of gold right on his home turf.
Lennart Sass, the Paralympic bronze medalist, is aiming for a major victory at the European Championships for German judokas in Heidelberg. “My goal is to be in top form on the mat and defend my title. Especially in front of a home crowd, my family, and friends, I want to stay focused and deliver my best performance,” said the 26-year-old. Since his semifinal loss at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, the visually impaired judoka has been undefeated, winning gold at the 2025 European Championships, among other achievements.
In total, the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS) is sending a six-member team to the championships on the Neckar (August 14–16), which are somewhat inconveniently scheduled just six weeks before the World Championships (September 25–27). “Our focus is already on the World Championships. But because the European Championships are taking place in our own country, the tournament holds special significance for us,” said national team coach Carmen Bruckmann.
It’s “just great that we know the venue well. For the athletes, it’s wonderful that family and friends can be there in person. That makes the championships especially enjoyable,” Bruckmann explained. The German team is still very young and is “in the process of being built up—even with an eye toward the 2032 Paralympics in Brisbane.” In general, she sees para judo in Germany “clearly on the rise,” and the home European Championships should now provide “another boost.”