Anton Geesink

Anton Geesink was born on 6 April 1934 in Utrecht, Netherlands, and passed away on 27 August 2010. 10th dan judoka, Olympic gold medallist and the man who changed judo forever. In 1961 he became the first non-Japanese judoka to win the World Judo Championships - shattering the belief that only Japanese athletes could reach the summit of the sport. Three years later at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, in front of a Japanese home crowd, he won gold again - one of the most dramatic moments in Olympic sports history. Geesink also won multiple European Championships and was virtually unbeatable throughout his competitive career. His victory in Tokyo opened the floodgates for international judo, inspiring federations and athletes worldwide to take the sport seriously at the highest level. After retiring he devoted himself to promoting judo globally and served in various administrative roles within the International Judo Federation. He passed away in 2010, but his legacy as the man who made judo truly international is permanent.