Laura Ludwig

{{Infobox volleyball biography

| name = Laura Ludwig-Bowes

| image = Laura_Ludwig_Austrian_Masters_2008.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Ludwig in 2008

| fullname =

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| nationality = German

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|1|13|df=yes}}

| birth_place = East Berlin, East Germany

| death_date =

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| hometown = Berlin

| height = 1.81 m{{cite web|url=https://www.teamdeutschland.de/athleten/details/laura-ludwig|title=Laura Ludwig|website=Team Deutschland|language=de|access-date=7 January 2022}}

| weight = 69 kg

| spike =

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| currentteammate = Louisa Lippmann

| currenttours (currentpoints) =

| nationalteam =

| years = 2014 Jul-Sept
2004-2012
2013-2017
2018-2020
2021

| teammates = Julia Sude
Sara Goller
Kira Walkenhorst
Margareta Kozuch
Leonie Körtzinger

| tours (points) =

| resultyears =

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{{MedalCountry | {{GER}} }}

}}

Laura Ludwig-Bowes (born 13 January 1986) is a German professional beach volleyball player, playing as a defender.{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2654376-the-toughest-challenges-for-kerri-walsh-jennings-april-ross-in-rio|title=The Toughest Challenges for Kerri Walsh Jennings, April Ross in Rio|publisher=Bleacher Report|date=August 6, 2016|first=Blake|last=Dorfman|access-date=August 19, 2018}} Previously forming a pair with compatriot Kira Walkenhorst, she represents Hamburger SV and has won four European championships. She won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She added another medal, Gold, at the 2016 World Tour Finals in Toronto. In 2017, she and Walkenhorst won the World Championship in Vienna.

Biography

Ludwig was born in East Berlin, East Germany.

Initially paired with Jana Köhler, Ludwig won the U18 European Championship and later the U18 World Championship in Pattava Beach (Thailand).[http://www.volleyball-verband.de/index.php?dvv=webpart.pages.DVVDynamicPage&navid=7545&coid=7545&&cid=2 Sara Goller/Laura Ludwig] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001758/http://www.volleyball-verband.de/index.php?dvv=webpart.pages.DVVDynamicPage&navid=7545&coid=7545&&cid=2 |date=2016-03-04 }}, www.dvv.de After surviving a stroke which nearly ended her career, she bounced back after teaming with a new partner, Sara Goller. Together, Ludwig and Goller became 2006 German champions, won the U23 European Championships in St. Pölten and ended up fourth in the women's European Championships the same year in The Hague. They continued their line of success in 2007, defending the German title and winning the silver medal in the European Championships in Valencia. Ludwig and Goller ended the 2007 season leading the German women's ranking and placing seventh overall.

She won silver medals at the 2007 and 2009 European beach volleyball championships, and gold medals at the 2008 and 2010 Beach ECH, alongside her former teammate Sara Goller. They competed at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, finishing in ninth place in 2008 and reaching the quarterfinals in 2012.

File:Alemãs levam ouro no vôlei de praia em Copacabana 1038683-18.08.2016 ffz-5211.jpg

In 2013 Ludwig formed a beach partnership with Kira Walkenhorst. The pairing was successful, with bronze medal finishes at the 2013 and 2014 European beach volleyball championship, and gold medals at the 2015 and 2016 Beach ECH.[http://www.fivb.org/EN/BeachVolleyball/Player_DataDB.asp?No=104461 FIVB Player Players Database] Ludwig and Walkenhorst won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, defeating Brazil's pair of Ágatha and Bárbara in straight sets of 21-18 21–14 in the final.

=World tour 2016=

Ludwig competed in the World Tour Finals in Toronto. With teammate Walkenhorst, they finished 3rd (last) in Pool B with 2 losses.

In the quarter-final match against Ross and Walsh they won in 3 sets (21-18, 19–21, 15-11), advancing to the semi-final against Larissa and Talita of Brazil.[https://ca.swatchmajorseries.com/en/matches/elimination?gender=f Elimination Matches]

Winning against Brazil in straight sets of (21-19, 21-19)[http://www.fivb.org/en/BeachVolleyball/viewPressRelease.asp?No=64999&Language=en Germans not thinking about the money] the pair advanced to the gold medal match. Another gold medal for the Olympic winners came in straight sets of (21-18, 21-16)[https://www.thestar.com/sports/amateur/2016/09/19/german-duo-caps-off-memorable-beach-volleyball-season-in-toronto.html German duo caps off memorable beach volleyball season in Toronto] against the Swiss pair of Zumkehr and Heidrich.

= 2017 season =

Ludwig did not compete at the opening round of the 2017 season in Fort Lauderdale due to a shoulder operation.{{Cite news|url=http://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/sport/topartikel/Serie-Sportler-2016-Kira-Walkenhorst-und-der-einzigartige-Moment;art523,3185134|title=Kira Walkenhorst und der "einzigartige Moment"|last=Mallon|first=Thimo|language=de-DE|access-date=2017-01-16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118140609/https://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/sport/topartikel/Serie-Sportler-2016-Kira-Walkenhorst-und-der-einzigartige-Moment;art523,3185134|archive-date=2017-01-18}} Ludwig's regular partner Kira Walkenhorst temporarily partnered with Julia Großner.{{Cite web|url=https://us.swatchmajorseries.com/en/teams-players/teams|title=Swatch Major Series: Fort Lauderdale Major - List of Teams|access-date=16 Jan 2017}}

Ludwig's first tournament of the 2017 season after her shoulder operation was the Smart Super Cup in Münster. Alongside regular partner Walkenhorst, they secured the gold medal with a 2:0 scoreline ahead of runners-up Laboureur & Sude.{{cite web|title=Münster (5th May - 7th May 2017)|url=http://www.ludwig-walkenhorst.com/2017-M%C3%BCnster-Tournment/|website=Ludwig-Walkenhorst.com|access-date=23 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512060216/http://www.ludwig-walkenhorst.com/2017-M%C3%BCnster-Tournment/|archive-date=12 May 2017|url-status=dead}} Ludwig's first international tournament in 2017 was the FIVB World Tour tournament in Rio de Janeiro. After beating Lusson/Jupiter and Juliana/Carol in Pool play and Davidova/Shchypkova in their third match they lost to Pavan/Humana-Paredes to finish the tournament in 5th position.{{cite web|title=FIVB World Tour - Rio De Janeiro (4* Event)|url=http://www.ludwig-walkenhorst.com/2017-FIVB-Rio/|website=Ludwig-Walkenhorst.com|access-date=23 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710031515/http://www.ludwig-walkenhorst.com/2017-FIVB-Rio|archive-date=10 July 2017|url-status=dead}}

=2021 Season=

In July, Ludwig partnered with Margareta Kozuch to represent Germany at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo that had been delayed due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. The pair reached the quarter-finals, losing to the Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman.

References

External links

{{sports links}}
[http://www.ludwig-walkenhorst.de Ludwig/Walkenhorst website] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20161207180718/http://www.ludwig-walkenhorst.com/ archive]) {{in lang|de}}

{{Succession box

| before = {{flagathlete|Larissa França and
Talita Antunes | BRA}}

| title = Women's FIVB Beach World Tour Winner
alongside {{flagicon|GER}} Kira Walkenhorst

| years = 2016

| after = {{flagathlete|Larissa França and
Talita Antunes | BRA}} }}

{{Succession box

| before = {{flagathlete|Ágatha Bednarczuk and
Bárbara Seixas | BRA}}

| title = Women's FIVB Beach World Champion
alongside {{flagicon|GER}} Kira Walkenhorst

| years = 2017

| after = {{flagathlete|Sarah Pavan and
Melissa Humana-Paredes | CAN}} }}

{{Succession box

| before = {{flagathlete|Ágatha Bednarczuk and
Eduarda Lisboa | BRA}}