The -70 kg judo final at the recent international tournament concluded with an all-German showdown that saw Miriam Butkereit capture the gold medal over compatriot Giovanna Scoccimarro, according to official International Judo Federation reports. Butkereit, ranked fifth in the world, secured a tactical victory to climb to the top of the podium, adding crucial ranking points to her campaign.
Path to the -70 kg Final in Lausanne
The championship match pitted two athletes who know each other’s styles intimately. Miriam Butkereit entered the contest following a strong run of form during the 2026 season, which included a victory at the Tashkent Grand Slam, a silver medal at the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam, and a bronze at the Qingdao Grand Prix, alongside her 2024 Olympic silver medal in Paris and 2025 world bronze. Giovanna Scoccimarro, ranked 29th globally, reached the final after claiming gold at the Prague European Open earlier in the year, backed by her 2023 world silver medal in Doha.
“It feels amazing to win gold, especially after being a bit unwell in the past few weeks,” Butkereit said in post-competition remarks published by the IJF. “I never counted on this, so it couldn’t be better. Fighting my compatriot in the final was fine; we haven’t fought often and it was a pleasant surprise to meet her there.”
World Championship Seeding Implications
Butkereit noted that the outcome provides essential points heading into the global championships. “This win gives me crucial points for a good seeding spot at the World Championships, so I’m happy to have this in the bag,” she said, while also praising the energetic venue atmosphere driven by local school children in the crowd.
Bronze Medal Bouts Showcase International Depth
The podium matches for bronze delivered intense action across the board. In the first -70 kg bronze medal contest, Switzerland’s April Lynn Fohou faced China’s Lu Liu. Fohou, a junior world champion in 2025, drew vocal support from the home spectators in Lausanne and led by a yuko before Liu leveled the score. Liu ultimately secured victory via an arm lock on the ground, taking the bronze medal.
The second bronze medal match featured France’s Clémence Eme against Russia’s Madina Taimazova. Taimazova earned her place on the podium by executing a waza-ari with a ko-uchi-gari. Medal presentations were conducted by CBH Bank CEO Simon Benhamou and Swiss Judo Federation Vice President Juliane Robra.
Worth a look
