Glinde. Bronze and victory against top competitor Giovanna Scoccimarro at the Judo Grand Slam in Tbilisi. But she doesn’t have much time for joy.
It’s the year of Miriam Butkereit. The 29-year-old judo fighter Glindewho lives in Cologne and competes for SV Halle, won at Grand Slam in Tiflis die Bronze medal in the class up to 70 kilograms and thus increased their chances of winning Germany Summer Olympics in Paris (July 26th to August 11th).
However, the German Judo Association will not make a final decision until the end of May after the World Championships in Abu Dhabi. But Butkereit should now have bright cards, as third place in Tbilisi was already her fourth Grand Slam medal in a row this year. She had previously also won bronze in Portugal at the end of January and then won the Grand Slams in Paris and Tashkent.
The Olympics are now very close for Glinder Miriam Butkereit
Even more would have been possible in Tbilisi had Butkereit, after two quick victories at the start of the third round, not gotten caught in a hold by the Australian Aiofe Coughlan due to carelessness in the ground fight. So the Glinder lost the fight, had to give up hope for gold and fight her way through the consolation round.
Miriam Butkereit at the Grand Slam 2024 in Tbilisi with national coach Claudiu Pusa.
© German Judo Association | German Judo Association
She succeeded, and in the final fight for bronze it was against her big rival for the Olympic ticket, Giovanna Scoccimarro from MTV Vorsfelde. Scoccimarro won the bronze medal with the team at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She is also the reigning vice world champion.
The Olympic rival was put on the mat in 26 seconds
When qualifying for Tokyo 2024, Scoccimarro, who was three years younger, beat Miriam Butkereit. But the balance of power has now changed after Scoccimarro suffered a cruciate ligament tear in his right knee in 2022 and his left knee in 2023. Butkereit only needed 26 seconds to defeat her rival in Tbilisi in the fight for bronze with a holding technique.
Also interesting
National coach Claudiu Pusa will have noted this with interest. He diplomatically praised both of them afterwards: “I am very satisfied with their performances.” Butkereit doesn’t have much time to be happy about the success in Georgia anyway. She and Scoccimarro will continue in Turkey at the Grand Slam in Antalya on the Easter weekend.
Glinder Mascha Ballhaus wins bronze in the class up to 52 kilograms
Glinder Mascha Ballhaus, who won bronze in the class up to 52 kilograms, also had a strong performance in Tbilisi the day before. “After two not so successful competitions in Paris and Uzbekistan, I am happy to have won a medal again,” said the TH Eilbeck athlete, who lives in Munich.