Cadet Judo Champion Aims for 2020 Olympics

The Oceania championships are a big step for Koen, who earned his selection by performing strongly at national level in 2015, coming second in the National Cadet Judo Championships.

He recently returned from an intensive training regime in the Netherlands, where he stayed with family while being coached at the Dijkmansport club. Because New Zealand clubs do not have the resources or funding bigger countries such as Australia enjoy, it is harder for Kiwi judoka to get trained locally to an elite level.

Koen says judo is a tough sport but he enjoys the physical challenge. Having spent seven years working with determination towards his goal, he is aiming for the 2020 Olympics as the pinnacle of achievement in his chosen sport. He already holds a Brown Belt, only one short of the top ranking in judo.

He will attend a national training camp in Christchurch next month as part of the New Zealand team’s build-up for the Oceania championships, which will be held at the AIS Combat Centre in Canberra from April 8-10.