Anton Geesink facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Anton Geesink

Geesink in 1961
Personal information
Born	(1934-04-06)6 April 1934 Utrecht, the Netherlands
Died	27 August 2010(2010-08-27) (aged 76) Utrecht, the Netherlands
Occupation	Judoka
Height	1.98 m
Weight	120 kg
Sport
Country	Netherlands
Sport	Judo
Weight class	Open
Rank	10th dan black belt
Medal record Men's judo Representing the  Netherlands Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 0 0 World Championships 2 0 1 European Championships 21 2 2 Total 24 2 3 Olympic Games Gold 1964 Tokyo Open World Championships Gold 1961 Paris Open Gold 1965 Rio de Janeiro +80 kg Bronze 1956 Tokyo Open European Championships Gold 1952 Paris 1st dan Gold 1953 London Open Gold 1954 Brussels Open Gold 1955 Paris 3rd dan Gold 1957 Rotterdam 4th dan Gold 1957 Rotterdam Open Gold 1958 Barcelona 4th dan Gold 1958 Barcelona Open Gold 1959 Vienna +80 kg Gold 1959 Vienna Open Gold 1960 Amsterdam +80 kg Gold 1960 Amsterdam Open Gold 1961 Milano +80 kg Gold 1961 Milano Open Gold 1962 Essen +80 kg Gold 1962 Essen Open Gold 1963 Genève Open Gold 1963 Genève +80 kg Gold 1964 Berlin +80 kg Gold 1964 Berlin Open Gold 1967 Rome Open Silver 1951 Paris 1st kyu Silver 1955 Paris Open Bronze 1965 Madrid Open Bronze 1965 Madrid +93 kg
Updated on 25 June 2023.

Antonius Johannes Geesink (born April 6, 1934 – died August 27, 2010) was a famous Dutch judoka. He was the first non-Japanese person to win a gold medal at the World Judo Championships. He achieved this amazing feat in 1961 and again in 1965. Anton Geesink also became an Olympic Champion in 1964 in Japan. Throughout his career, he won a record 21 European Judo Championships titles. He held the highest rank in judo, a 10th Dan.

Anton Geesink's Judo Career

Anton Geesink in 1956

Anton Geesink started learning judo when he was 14 years old. By the time he was 17, he was already competing internationally. In 1951, he won a silver medal. The very next year, he earned his first European title. He continued to win, adding twenty more European titles by 1967.

At the 1961 World Championships, Anton Geesink made history. He was a 5th Dan at the time. He became the World Champion in the open class, beating the Japanese champion Koji Sone. Before this, only Japanese judokas had won World Championship titles. This was a huge moment for judo outside of Japan.

Judo became an official sport at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Japan. Japan was very strong in judo, winning three of the four weight divisions. But Anton Geesink won the final in the open weight division. He defeated Akio Kaminaga right in front of the Japanese home crowd. This was a very important victory for him and for judo worldwide.

After winning the 1965 World Championships and his last European title in 1967, Anton Geesink stopped competing in judo. He was recognized by the IJF as one of the few judokas to reach the 10th Dan grade. This is the highest rank in judo, given for great service to the sport.

Professional Wrestling Career

After his judo career, Anton Geesink also tried professional wrestling. In 1973, he joined All Japan Pro Wrestling. He trained in the United States with famous wrestlers Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk. He wrestled for All Japan from 1973 to 1978. He was a popular part-time wrestler.

He wrestled against many well-known professional wrestlers. Some of his opponents included Bruno Sammartino and Giant Baba.

Films and Books

Anton Geesink (right) in the film Rififi in Amsterdam

Anton Geesink also appeared in films and TV shows. In 1962, he acted in a Dutch film called Rififi in Amsterdam. He played a detective in the movie. In 1965, he starred as Samson in an Italian film. He also appeared in three Dutch TV series, including a children's show called Oebele. On this show, he even sang a song called "Judo rock." He also wrote several books about judo in Dutch and English.

Work with the Olympic Committee

Anton Geesink was also involved with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This is the group that organizes the Olympic Games. In 1987, he became a member of the Dutch National Olympic Committee. He also became a member of the IOC.

He continued to work for the IOC until he passed away in 2010. He helped make decisions about the Olympic Games.

Personal Life and Legacy

Anton Geesink with his wife and children in 1964

Anton Geesink was born and grew up in Utrecht, Netherlands. His family was not wealthy, and he started working as a builder when he was just 12 years old. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 76 in his hometown of Utrecht. He was survived by his wife, Jans Geesink, and their children, Willy, Leni, and Anton Jr.

Honours and Awards

Statue of Anton Geesink in Utrecht (by Theo van de Vathorst, 1995)

Anton Geesink was recognized many times for his achievements. He was chosen as the Dutch Sportsman of the Year in 1957, 1961, 1964, and 1965. In 1997, the Japanese government gave him a special award called the Order of the Sacred Treasure.

His hometown of Utrecht even named a street after him. This was the street where he lived until his death. In 2000, a Japanese university, Kokushikan University, gave him an honorary doctorate degree. They praised him for being the first non-Japanese judoka to win Olympic gold in 1964. They also recognized his efforts to promote peace through the spirit of budō (martial arts) and to build friendship between the Netherlands and Japan.

See also

In Spanish: Anton Geesink para niños

Images for kids

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  Anton Geesink (right) in the film Rififi in Amsterdam