Butkereit Claims Gold as French Judokas Secure Medals at Tashkent Grand Slam
Published February 28, 2026
Photo credit: Tamara Kulumbegashvili/IJF
German Judoka Secures -70kg Gold
Miriam Butkereit of Germany demonstrated her experience, securing the gold medal in the -70kg category at the Grand Slam in Tashkent. Butkereit defeated France’s Melkia Auchecorne in the final, utilizing a dominant ground game to claim the title.
French Contingent Earns Silver and Bronze
Despite Butkereit’s victory, the French team enjoyed a successful day, with Melkia Auchecorne taking silver and Clémence Eme earning a bronze medal in the -70kg division. Auchecorne had previously defeated strong opponents, including the number one seed, Aoife Coughlan (AUS), Lu Liu (CHN) and Elisavet Teltsidou (GRE) en route to the final.
“In the final against Melkia Auchecorne (AS Chelles Judo), Butkereit incredibly quickly placed in the fight a variation of immobilization at the square with arm control which finalized a sankaku-gantame start.”
Eme secured her bronze medal by defeating Lu Liu, showcasing her tactical sharpness throughout the tournament. She had earlier eliminated Japan’s Erina Ike.
Eme’s Journey to the Podium
Clémence Eme’s path to the bronze medal was marked by resilience, overcoming several long injuries. She notably defeated Irène Pedrotti with an impressive eri-seoi-nage.
“Émé, who, after beating the Japanese Erina Ike in penalties, benefited from the absence of Sanne Van Dijke, and having nicely ipponized the Italian Irène Pedrotti on an eri-seoi-nage to the left, went to seek her first Grand Slam medal by placing an o-uchi-gari – her special – on the Chinese Lu Liu.”
Other Notable Results
The tournament also saw a surprise victory in the -73kg category by Tajik Orif Abdulloi, a newcomer to the senior international circuit. In the -81kg division, Azerbaijan’s Omar Rajabli defeated Russia’s Abdul-Kerim Tasuev. The women’s -63kg category saw Japan’s Narumi Tanioka secure gold.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who won the gold medal in the -70kg category?
Miriam Butkereit of Germany won the gold medal.
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Which French judokas won medals?
Melkia Auchecorne won silver, and Clémence Eme won bronze, both in the -70kg category.
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Where was the Grand Slam held?
The Grand Slam was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
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