Wim Ruska facts for kids
Wim Ruska in 1968
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | Tarzan of the Tatami | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 29 August 1940 Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
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| Died | 14 February 2015 (aged 74) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Judoka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 110 kg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | Netherlands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Judo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight class | +93 kg, Open | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | 8th dan black belt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| Updated on 22 January 2023. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Willem "Wim" Ruska (born August 29, 1940 – died February 14, 2015) was a famous judoka from the Netherlands. He made history as the first athlete to win two gold medals in judo at a single Olympic Games. This happened at the 1972 Munich Olympics, where he won in both the heavyweight and open weight categories.
Contents
Wim Ruska's Judo Journey
Wim Ruska began his judo training while serving in the Dutch Navy. He later traveled to Japan, the birthplace of judo, to improve his skills even more.
Winning European and World Titles
During the 1960s and 1970s, Ruska trained under the guidance of Jon Bluming. He became very successful, winning seven European judo titles. Five of these wins were in the +93 kg category (1966–67, 1969, 1971–72), and two were in the open weight category (1969 and 1972).
He also earned two world titles in judo, first in 1967 and then again in 1971. His biggest success came at the 1972 Summer Olympics, where he won two Olympic gold medals. He retired from judo after these Olympic Games.
Wim Ruska's Professional Wrestling Career
After his successful judo career, Wim Ruska decided to try professional wrestling. He competed between 1976 and 1980 for major wrestling companies like New Japan Pro-Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation. He took part in over 150 professional wrestling matches. Sometimes, he even teamed up with another judoka, Allen Coage.
A Famous Wrestling Match
In 1976, while on a tour in Brazil, Ruska had a special match against Ivan Gomes. Gomes was a well-known fighter and former wrestler. The match took place on August 7 at the Maracanã Stadium. There was some tension before the match because of disagreements about how it should end.
During the fight, Gomes started using real, illegal punches. Ruska fought back with a similar punch, and the match quickly turned into a real fight, known as a "shoot" in wrestling. Gomes tried to use a guillotine choke on Ruska, but Ruska escaped. The referee stopped the match because Gomes was outside the ropes and refused to let go of Ruska.
The crowd felt Gomes was treated unfairly, and a small riot almost started. However, the president of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Antonio Inoki, calmed everyone down. The event caused a lot of discussion in Brazil, with people arguing about who should have won. The Japanese considered Ruska the winner because Gomes needed stitches after the fight, while Ruska was in much better shape.
Later Wrestling Years
Wim Ruska was good friends with sambo world champion Chris Dolman. They had a disagreement when Dolman joined a different wrestling group than Ruska. However, they became friends again in 1997 and stayed in touch until Ruska's death.
Later Life and Legacy
In 2001, Wim Ruska suffered a serious stroke, which caused him to become physically disabled. Despite this, his achievements in judo were still recognized.
In 2013, he was honored by being added to the Hall of Fame of the International Judo Federation. This is a very high honor for judo athletes.
Wim Ruska passed away on February 14, 2015, at the age of 74. He is remembered as a pioneering judoka who achieved great success in the sport. He was survived by his wife, two children, and five grandchildren.
Images for kids
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Ruska in 1968
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Ruska with family in 1972
See also
In Spanish: Wim Ruska para niños
