41 years after Robert van de Waale and 25 years after Ulla Werbrouck, our country is hoping to win another gold medal in judo. Matthew Cass He is the frontrunner as the world champion. “I expect a legendary performance,” former national coach Jean-Marie de Decker is optimistic.
“Expectations can be high,” Dedecker explained on Radio 1. “He’s the world champion, he’s already beaten everyone and has a very positive draw. But he is judo. And in judo there’s always a banana peel ready. Robert van de Waal became Olympic champion in 1980. He was the favorite The most fortunate in 1984 and eliminated from the first round.
“Anything less than gold would feel like a disappointment. Not only for me, but for him as well. Of course, that is never a disappointment. In judo, you are only in the spotlight once, even if you are the world champion. If you become an Olympian. hero or get a medal, that is eternal fame.”
“Casse is a super athlete,” Dedecker sings about the Belgian medal hope. “And if anyone is well prepared, it’s him. He’s been working for several years with Mark van der Ham, the great coach from whom he learned this assertiveness. I would really love to see that in an athlete.”
“He’s a bear. Casse is a physically strong judoka, which makes it very difficult to throw. He’s also in great shape. If he has to fight overtime now, he’s always the strongest. Plus, technically he’s very good. He’s talented and he’s talented.” Very. He’s a strange boy.”
“This kid is ready. He also knows the tension. He went to Rio in 2016 with Dirk van Tichelt. He knows what winning is. I can’t wait to see him.”
In addition to Cass, there will be this week Thomas Nikiforov Another Belgian working on tatami. “He’s also a candidate for a medal,” Dedecker thinks. “Although he is facing a very tough draw. It is likely that he will face world champion Fonseca in the second round. But just as there can be a banana peel for CAS, there can also be Fonseca.”
“Nikiforov can definitely surprise. He can get out of the first round, but he can also win the gold. It’s not as certain as Kass, but he has the experience and he has it in him.”
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