Samurai offenbach Aim for Top Three Finish After Competitive Season
The Judo Bundesliga season concluded with Samurai Offenbach finishing a respectable fourth in the South Group, falling just short in a thrilling 6-8 encounter against second-placed JSV Speyer. Despite the loss, the Offenbach team demonstrated significant growth and are setting their sights on a top-three finish in the 2026 season.
Speyer, boasting a full-strength roster, secured the victory and will advance to the semi-finals of the German Championship in Wuppertal on October 26th, where they will face North Group leaders UJKC Potsdam. The other semi-final will pit South Group champions TSV Abensberg against defending champions TV Remscheid.
“It was a fantastic display of fighting spirit from our team,” said Samurai Offenbach coach, [Coach’s Last Name – not provided in text].”The boys left everything on the mat. Several of the matches we lost where incredibly close, decided by the narrowest of margins. It didn’t feel like a defeat, especially with the amazing support from our home crowd.”
The club has seen considerable development, transforming from a relegation contender into a firmly established Bundesliga team.While focusing on upcoming individual championships – the Southwest German Championships on September 21st in Siershahn and the German Championships on october 4th and 5th in Duisburg – the team is already looking ahead to the next Bundesliga season.
“We want to take the next step and break into the top three,” the coach affirmed. A key component of this ambition is retaining the current squad, including heavyweight Fabius Igor Mbakom TchiengienGien, who is based in Switzerland but has committed to returning for the 2026 season.To achieve this goal, the team is actively seeking reinforcements in the 60kg, 73kg, 100kg, and heavyweight divisions. Hratschik Latschinian will remain the sole competitor in the 60kg class, having engaged in challenging bouts against Speyer’s Irakli Kupatadze. toni Skoberne and Tymur Akhmedov are slated to move up to the 66kg weight class. The 73kg category faces uncertainty due to Leon Ehmig’s recent injury, while veteran Daniel Gleim, praised by the coach for his “godlike” performance against Speyer, is now 32 years old.
The coach expressed a desire for continued home matches at the Bürgel sports factory and especially anticipates a local derby against JC Rüsselsheim. Currently leading the 2nd Bundesliga South Group, Rüsselsheim is vying for promotion and a return to the Bundesliga, setting the stage for a possibly exciting rivalry.
Match Results: JC Samurai Offenbach vs.JSV Speyer (6-8)
JC Samurai Scorers: Daniel Gleim (2), Alash Gatschaev (2), Fabius Igor Mbakom Tchiengang, Hratschik Latschinian, Markus Seifert, michael Wehner, Nikoloz Zaalishvili (2), Patrick Bitz, Luca Janzen, Fiore.
