Judoka Ralph Hoogeboom (-100 kilograms) was crowned Dutch champion on Saturday afternoon. Earlier in his career, De Heemskerker already won the silver and bronze medal. The gold medal had to be celebrated, of course.
“I had to win gold once. I finally succeeded. Of course I wanted to celebrate that with my friends,” said a happy Hoogeboom. Afterwards, he sat down to enjoy a beer in the stands with his circle of acquaintances.
Morning beer
In the final he defeated Silvan Bulthuis. After the win, the 1.97 meter size judoka immediately stormed into the stands of the top sports center in Almere. After a hug with family and friends, the first beer was soon pressed into his hands. “My friends were already drinking beer in the morning. It belongs to our group of friends, so it went right into it for me too,” says a radiant Hoogeboom.