Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. The first Westerner to garner international acclaim in judo, he earned top honors for Holland in the open division at the 1964 Tokyo Olympiad. A competitor in his chosen sport from a young age, Geesink was second in the 1951 European Championships before capturing the first of his 21 titles in 1952. At the 1961 World Championships in Tokyo he won the open division, becoming the only non-Japanese to that point to take the event. Geesink repeated as World Champion in 1964 before capturing the Olympic Gold Medal. He was once again World Champion in 1965, then retired following his final European Championship in 1967. In 1973, he traveled to Amarillo, Texas, where he was trained as a professional wrestler by the legendary brothers Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk; for the next five years, he was to be a part-time competitor on the All Japan Pro-Wrestling circuit. The education director of the International Judo Federation (IJF) from 1985 thru 1989, he was honored with that organization's ninth degree in 1987 and tenth in 1997, then named to its Hall of Fame in 2004. The convention of having one participant in judo matches wear a blue uniform was Geesink's idea in 1986. A member of both the Dutch Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1987 to the end of his life, he died following an extended illness.
Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. The first Westerner to garner international acclaim in judo, he earned top honors for Holland in the open division at the 1964 Tokyo Olympiad. A competitor in his chosen sport from a young age, Geesink was second in the 1951 European Championships before capturing the first of his 21 titles in 1952. At the 1961 World Championships in Tokyo he won the open division, becoming the only non-Japanese to that point to take the event. Geesink repeated as World Champion in 1964 before capturing the Olympic Gold Medal. He was once again World Champion in 1965, then retired following his final European Championship in 1967. In 1973, he traveled to Amarillo, Texas, where he was trained as a professional wrestler by the legendary brothers Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk; for the next five years, he was to be a part-time competitor on the All Japan Pro-Wrestling circuit. The education director of the International Judo Federation (IJF) from 1985 thru 1989, he was honored with that organization's ninth degree in 1987 and tenth in 1997, then named to its Hall of Fame in 2004. The convention of having one participant in judo matches wear a blue uniform was Geesink's idea in 1986. A member of both the Dutch Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1987 to the end of his life, he died following an extended illness.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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