European Championships | 12 Oct 2024
JORGIĆ: Silver Medalist from Munich 2022 Ready for LIEBHERR European Championships in Linz
Slovenia’s Darko JORGIĆ, silver medalist from the 2022 European Championships in Munich, will be in action at the LIEBHERR European Championships in Linz from October 15th to 20th. The three-time Europe Top-16 Cup winner is seeded among the top players in Austria.
"After the Olympic Games in Paris, I didn’t have a break. I went straight to Lima because I needed to maintain my ranking and secure my spot among the top 16 players for the Grand Finals. I played well there and won the title in Peru, which helped me stay ranked 15th. Of course, the Bundesliga season started, so I didn’t miss the action there either. Afterward, I competed in the Champions in Macao and Smash in Beijing. In terms of my form and game, I’m happy with my current level. I’ve had many good matches in the last few months," said JORGIĆ, who reached the Round of 16 in both Paris Olympics and in SMASH in Beijing.
Looking ahead to the LIEBHERR European Championships, JORGIĆ shared his optimism: "I’m looking toward Linz with a big dose of optimism. In the past few weeks, I’ve lost a few matches that I shouldn’t have, but the European Championships is different. The style, the players—it’s all different in Europe. I’m ready, and honestly, I can’t wait for the tournament to start. I guess I’m curious too about how far I can go."
With so many matches and constant traveling, JORGIĆ was asked if he had time to train with the national team.
"I trained with the German national team in Düsseldorf. The training and players there were phenomenal. You can’t get better conditions or sparring partners than that. It gives me confidence, and now I just hope I can carry that good play and confidence into Linz."
JORGIĆ lost to Dang QIU in the final two years ago in Munich, but his goal for Linz is clear: "In general, my goal is to defend my silver. But I see what’s coming—the competition is fierce, with so many top players in excellent shape right now. I’ll give my best, but my primary goal is to reach the top eight, and from there, anything can happen."
When asked for his prediction of the medal contenders, Jorgić said, "It’s very difficult to say who will be in the top four at the end. The biggest favorites for the medals are all the players from Sweden, Germany, and France. The competition is fierce."
JORGIĆ’S defining career moment came at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where he delivered a series of stunning performances. He first defeated England’s Liam PITCHFORD in a closely fought round of 32 match. In the round of 16, JORGIĆ pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, defeating Japan’s Tomokazu HARIMOTO, the hometown favorite, to reach the quarterfinals, marking his best Olympic performance to date.
JORGIĆ has also been a dominant force on the European circuit. He won the Europe Top-16 Championships in 2022, 2023, and 2024, defeating top competitors like Sweden’s Truls MÖREGÅRDH and Germany’s Dang QIU. Additionally, he secured a silver medal at the 2022 European Championships in Munich and bronze in the 2017 European Team Championships.
Off the European stage, Jorgić has also excelled at the Mediterranean Games, winning both the singles and team events in 2018, followed by another team gold medal in 2022.
