24-06-2025
Last week, I had the honor of giving a workshop at Taalschool Westland – a special and inspiring place where students from all over the world come together to learn Dutch and slowly rebuild their lives here.
I gave a taekwondo clinic to nearly 55 students, followed by a presentation about my own journey: about elite sport, discipline, setbacks, and resilience – but above all, about the importance of connection.
What made this day truly special was the audience: many of the students are young refugees, coming from countries where violence and conflict have been part of daily life. For them, the idea that people can fight each other – and still be friends afterwards was almost impossible to grasp. That’s why we focused on this topic during the presentation.
We spoke about the difference between aggression and control. About how martial arts – especially taekwondo – are rooted in respect, discipline, and self-control. You don’t train to hurt someone else. You train to develop yourself. To learn how to manage strength. To recognize boundaries – in yourself and in others.
For many of these young people, that was a new perspective. In their world, fighting is often linked to survival or danger. To see that it can also be a sport, a form of expression, and even a path to friendship was clearly eye-opening.
In the second part of the workshop, I shared my personal story in sport – from a young boy with a dream to an elite athlete who also faced injuries, setbacks, and doubt. But also someone who learned that mental resilience, focus, and community are just as important as physical strength.
I invited the students to reflect on their own stories – where they come from, where they are now, and most importantly: where they want to go. Whether you're on a taekwondo mat or in a classroom, you always have the choice to grow – consciously and with purpose.
What moved me most was the students’ openness, enthusiasm, and curiosity. And how a seemingly simple taekwondo exercise could spark so much joy. For a moment, sport wasn’t the goal – it became a bridge. Between cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.
A big thank you to Taalschool Westland for the invitation, to SportheldenOpSchool for organizing, and to all the students for their energy, questions, and open hearts. I hope I didn’t just show them a sport, but also a new way of seeing themselves – and each other.
Until next time – on the mat or beyond.
Aymen
05-10-2025
Despite having had my diploma since January, this ceremony felt like a special occasion to reflect on everything I have achieved. It was a day full of pride and joy, and I look forward to what the future will bring me!
24-08-2025
From August 21 to 24, 2025, I took part in the very first Sportwerk Champions Camp in Düsseldorf (Germany)—an exceptional Taekwondo event organized by Sportwerk Düsseldorf.
The camp consisted of four intensive training days, with a total of seven sessions. These sessions were led by an impressive line-up of Olympic and World Champion coaches, including Rosendo Alonso, Bianca Cook, Aaron Cook, and Erdal Töre.
In addition to technical and tactical training, we had the opportunity to truly test our skills during match simulations using KPNP’s next-generation electronic scoring system.
The sessions were both educational and exhausting, filled with valuable insights, motivation, and team spirit. The perfect blend of challenge and enjoyment turned this training camp into not only a highly instructive event but also an unforgettable experience.
A big thank you to Sportwerk Düsseldorf for the invitation, the flawless organization, and the opportunity to train under such outstanding coaches. You truly made this camp a success!
Pictures shot by: Julia Ronken
27-07-2025
I’m incredibly proud and grateful to have represented Tilburg University once again on one of the world’s biggest student-athlete stages — the FISU World University Games in the Rhine-Ruhr region, Germany.
This unforgettable event brought together over 8,500 student-athletes from more than 100 countries. Competing at this level is already a privilege — but I was especially honoured to be chosen as flagbearer for the Netherlands 🇳🇱 during the spectacular opening ceremony in Duisburg. That moment, standing under the lights and carrying our flag, is one I will carry with me for life.
The atmosphere, the sportsmanship, and the friendships built during these 12 days made it a truly enriching experience. I embraced every moment — both on and off the mat.
In my opening match, I faced a strong opponent from Thailand. It was an intense, back-and-forth fight that went the full distance. After three hard-fought rounds, I lost 1–2. While it was disappointing to miss out on progressing further, my opponent went on to win the gold medal, which underlines the level of competition at this tournament.
Huge thanks to Studentensport Nederland for their outstanding organisation, and to Rafik Zohri and Hamza El Baroud for their great coaching.
And of course, thank you to Tilburg University, CurrentWerkt, UnitedConsumers, and Nihon Sport Nederland for their continued, sponsoring, support and trust. Thanks to you, I’ve been able to create another unforgettable chapter in my combined academic and athletic journey.
With this, the 2024–2025 season comes to an end — but my motivation is as strong as ever.
Here’s to new challenges, new goals, and more growth ahead!
A proud taekwondo athlete with Olympic ambitions who represents the Netherlands at international tournaments. Besides the passion for sports, Aymen is also a Master student of International Law & Global Governance at Tilburg University.
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