From grief to triumph: Miriam Butkereit wins silver in Paris

The Olympic Games in Paris brought a roller coaster ride of feelings for the German judoka Miriam Butkereit. Despite the winning of the silver medal in the weight class up to 70 kilograms, the sadness of the missed dream of the gold outweighed gold after the competition. "At the moment I just lost gold and didn't win silver," said the 30-year-old after her final defeat against the Croatian Barbara Matic.

The way to the medal

Butkereit, who fights for SV Halle and comes from Glinde, had a remarkable competition day. Only a week after a concussion she had suffered during training was on the mat. With a lot of confidence, strengthened by previous victories at Grand Slams in Tashkent and Paris, she put her opponents out of action. After freely, she defeated the Australian Aoife Coughlan and Belgian Gabriella Willems. In the semifinals, she met the Austrian newcomer Michaela Polleres, who won silver three years ago.

Emotional roller coaster

Despite the excellent performance, the final round for Butkereit was mixed. Matic put her in a handle early that she could only make avert. Even after several attempts to turn the fight, the Croatin kept the upper hand. After the defeat, grief predominates with Butkereit. "These are just tears of funeral," she said. At the award ceremony, however, the facets of their success beamed as if family and friendly support helped her proudly.

Meaning for the German judo

The silver medal is a ray of hope for the German judo bundle after previously rather disappointing performances. Sports director Hartmut Paulat praises her "phenomenal ambition" and realizes that she has now taken a crucial step in her career. The medal should also have a motivating effect on the entire German team, especially with regard to the upcoming mixed team event.

Outlook for the future

The expectations of Butkereit could grow after this success. Paulat expressed her sporting qualities: "She determines the top of the world". In the future, it could take on an even more central role in German judo, mainly because she had often lacked "a little bit of little bit" in the past. After their impressive performance in Paris, one hopes for the continuation of these successes and a sustainable upswing in German judo.