- More sadness than joy: Butkereit wins German Judo silver
Despite her greatest career success, Miriam Butkereit initially struggled to crack a smile. "Right now, I've simply lost gold, not won silver," the judoka said after her final loss at the Olympic Games in Paris. The 30-year-old was on the verge of a major triumph in the Champ-de-Mars Arena but had to settle for second best against two-time world champion Barbara Matic of Croatia.
"This is just tears of sorrow," Butkereit said after losing the final in the women's 70kg category. "I hope that will change in the coming days." She did plan to celebrate a little, she said, as family, friends, and training partners had told her they were proud of her. Only during the medal ceremony did her tears turn into a radiant smile.
First Judo Medal in Paris
Butkereit had a fantastic day, securing Germany's first medal at the Paris Games. She almost became the second German woman to win gold in judo since Yvonne Snir-Bönisch's triumph in Athens in 2004. Sports director Hartmut Paulat praised her "phenomenal ambition," which brought her to where she is now, but sometimes might also hold her back.
Just a week ago, Butkereit had suffered a concussion in training, perhaps pushing herself too hard. But on the day of competition, she showed no signs of it. The athlete from Glinde, now competing for SV Halle, defeated Australian Aoife Coughlan and Belgian Gabriella Willems after a bye. In the semi-finals, she beat Austrian Michaela Polleres, who had won silver in Tokyo three years ago and is trained by former German judoka Snir-Bönisch.
However, the final started badly for the German, who was quickly put in a hold by Matic and narrowly avoided an early defeat. She tried to turn the fight around but the Croatian cleverly defended all her attacks.
Back to Paris with Good Memories
Butkereit arrived at the Games brimming with confidence, having won two Grand Slams earlier this year - in Tashkent and Paris. "It was magical," she said of her February win. So, it's no surprise that she returned to the French capital with a good feeling, despite a knee injury she had suffered three months ago.
"Just a little bit" has often been missing in Butkereit's quest for world or European medals in recent years, Paulat said. This time, luck was on her side. The medal should give the German team a boost after rather gloomy days in Paris, he added, also looking ahead to the mixed team event on Saturday, where the Germans aim to repeat their bronze from Tokyo. The pressure on world champion Anna-Maria Wagner, who competes on Thursday, might also be a bit less now, Paulat speculated.
Despite her valiant efforts in the final match, Miriam Butkereit's love for Judo was evident as she continued to train and compete, even after suffering a concussion a week prior. Her dedication to the sport was once again showcased during the Paris Games, where she managed to secure Germany's first Judo medal with her impressive performances.
