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

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.

My Match

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! 

📸Maarten Groot

I’m proud to announce that I’ve recently gained the support of a remarkable new sponsor: CurrentWerkt!

It means a great deal to be backed by an organization that believes in opportunity, perseverance, and the power of people. These are exactly the same values that have shaped my journey as a top athlete. High-performance sport is not just about physical achievements, but also about character, recovery, and resilience – qualities that are also central to the work of CurrentWerkt.

CurrentWerkt is a social employer that helps people who face barriers to employment make a fresh start. Think of people who have been out of the workforce for a while, or former inmates working to get their lives back on track. Through personal guidance, tailored support, and real opportunities, they create new perspectives. And with impressive results: sustainable reintegration into work and a significant drop in recidivism.

As a lawyer, I understand how important it is that everyone has a right to a second chance. And as an athlete, I know how vital it is to have someone who believes in you – especially when you're trying to rise again. That social mission of CurrentWerkt deeply resonates with me. Because what they do is also elite sport: building trust, development, and future – day in, day out.

This partnership with CurrentWerkt means more to me than just support on the road to my Olympic dream. It’s a collaboration that stands for something greater: for fair chances, social justice, and making an impact together.

Grateful and motivated, I look forward to everything we will achieve together!

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