1. Overview
Sanne van Dijke, born on July 21, 1995, is a prominent Dutch judoka who competes in the -70 kg weight class. A distinguished athlete, Van Dijke has achieved significant success in international competitions, notably securing a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She is also a two-time bronze medalist at the World Judo Championships in 2021 and 2022. Additionally, she has earned multiple gold medals at the European Judo Championships, including titles in 2017 and 2021, and has consistently ranked among the top judokas in the world, holding the number one position in the IJF world rankings with 5041 points as of September 16, 2024. Beyond her athletic achievements, Van Dijke is publicly known as an openly lesbian athlete, contributing to the representation of LGBT individuals in sports.
2. Early life and junior career
Sanne van Dijke's journey in judo began during her formative years, progressing through various junior and youth competitions before establishing herself on the senior international stage.
2.1. Background and early training
Sanne van Dijke was born on July 21, 1995, in Heeswijk-Dinther, a village in North Brabant, Netherlands. Her early exposure to judo and her subsequent training laid the foundation for her athletic career.
2.2. Junior and U23 competitions
Van Dijke demonstrated her potential early in her career, achieving notable results in junior and under-23 (U23) circuits. In 2011, she secured a bronze medal in the -70 kg category at the European Youth Olympic Festival, though she finished 7th at the World Cadet Judo Championships in the same year. She continued to progress, earning a silver medal at the Belgian Junior International in 2013 and a gold medal in 2014. Her performance peaked in 2014 when she claimed gold at both the European Junior Judo Championships and the European U23 Judo Championships in Wrocław. However, she placed 7th at the 2014 World Junior Judo Championships. In 2015, Van Dijke earned a silver medal at the European Junior Championships and finished 5th individually at the 2015 World Junior Judo Championships, also contributing to a bronze medal for her team in the team event.
3. Senior career
Sanne van Dijke's senior career saw her rise through the ranks, consistently medaling at major international tournaments and establishing herself as a formidable competitor.
3.1. Early international debut (2015-2019)
Van Dijke transitioned to the senior level in 2015, securing a bronze medal at the Judo Grand Prix Düsseldorf that year. In 2016, she won the European Open Madrid. Her breakthrough year came in 2017, where she won a bronze medal at the Judo Grand Slam Paris, followed by gold medals at the 2017 European Judo Championships in Warsaw and the Judo Grand Slam Ekaterinburg. She also earned a silver medal at the Judo Grand Prix The Hague in 2017. In 2018, she continued her consistent performance with a bronze medal at the Judo Grand Slam Düsseldorf and a gold medal at the Judo Grand Prix Hohhot. She also took silver at the Judo Grand Prix Budapest and the Judo Grand Prix The Hague, and a bronze at the Judo World Masters in Guangzhou. Her 2019 season included a bronze medal at the Judo Grand Prix Tel Aviv, a silver medal at the 2019 European Games in Minsk, a bronze at the Judo Grand Prix Zagreb, and a silver at the Judo Grand Slam Abu Dhabi. She concluded 2019 with another silver medal at the Judo World Masters in Qingdao, where she was defeated by her teammate, Kim Polling.
3.2. Olympic and World Championships success (2020-2022)
The period from 2020 to 2022 marked significant achievements for Sanne van Dijke, including her first Olympic medal and multiple World Championship bronzes. In 2020, she earned a silver medal at the 2020 European Judo Championships in Prague. The following year, she won a bronze medal at the Judo Grand Slam Tel Aviv before securing her second European title at the 2021 European Judo Championships in Lisbon. This strong performance led to her selection for the Tokyo Olympic Games over her domestic rival, Kim Polling. At the 2021 World Judo Championships in Budapest, she won a bronze medal in the -70 kg event after losing to Yoko Ono in the semi-final. Later that year, at the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, she advanced to the semi-finals but was defeated by Michaela Polleres of Austria, ultimately securing one of the bronze medals. Her team also placed 5th in the mixed team event at the Tokyo Olympics.
In 2022, Van Dijke started the year with a silver medal at the Judo Grand Slam Tel Aviv and a silver at the 2022 European Judo Championships in Sofia. She then won gold medals at the Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi and the Judo Grand Slam Baku. At the 2022 World Judo Championships in Tashkent, she won her second consecutive World Championship bronze medal in the -70 kg event. In a notable moment, she defeated Shiho Tanaka in the bronze medal match by forfeit after Tanaka sustained an injury, and Van Dijke carried Tanaka off the mat following the conclusion of the match. She also earned a silver medal as part of the Netherlands team at the 2022 European Mixed Team Judo Championships.
3.3. Continued performance and rankings (2023-present)
Van Dijke maintained her high level of performance in 2023, beginning with a silver medal at the Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi. She contributed to a bronze medal for her team at the World Mixed Team Championships in Doha. She also secured a silver medal at the Judo Grand Slam Astana and a bronze medal with her team at the 2023 European Games in Kraków. A significant achievement in 2023 was her gold medal at the 2023 Judo World Masters in Budapest, where she notably defeated World Champion Saki Niizoe by hansoku-make (disqualification). She also earned a bronze medal at the 2023 European Judo Championships in Montpellier and a gold medal at the 2023 Judo Grand Slam Tokyo, defeating Shiho Tanaka by Ura Nage. As of September 16, 2024, Van Dijke holds the number one position in the IJF world rankings with 5041 points.
3.4. 2024 Paris Olympics and sportsmanship incident
At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Sanne van Dijke competed in the women's -70 kg event. She advanced to the quarter-finals, where she defeated Saki Niizoe of Japan by Waza-ari. However, she lost her semi-final match to Barbara Matić of Croatia and subsequently lost her bronze medal match, ultimately finishing in 5th place.
During her quarter-final match against Saki Niizoe, immediately after her victory, Van Dijke was observed making gestures to incite the crowd without performing the traditional bow, which is a fundamental aspect of judo etiquette and sportsmanship. This action drew criticism from some observers who felt it violated the spirit of judo. Following the Paris Olympics, Van Dijke transitioned to the -78 kg weight class and won a gold medal at the Judo Grand Prix Zagreb in the new category.
4. Personal life
Sanne van Dijke is openly lesbian and has been in a relationship with Welsh judoka Natalie Powell since 2018. She has spoken publicly about her identity, contributing to the visibility of LGBT athletes in sports.
5. Major competition record
Sanne van Dijke's major competition results in the -70 kg weight class, unless otherwise specified, are as follows:
| Year | Competition | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | European Youth Olympic Festival | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2011 | World Cadet Judo Championships | -70 kg | 7th |
| 2013 | Belgian Junior International | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2014 | Belgian Junior International | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2014 | European Junior Judo Championships | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2014 | World Junior Championships | -70 kg | 7th |
| 2014 | European U23 Judo Championships | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2015 | Judo Grand Prix Düsseldorf | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2015 | European Junior Judo Championships | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2015 | World Junior Championships | -70 kg | 5th |
| 2015 | World Junior Championships | Team | Bronze |
| 2016 | European Open Madrid | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2017 | Judo Grand Slam Paris | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2017 | European Judo Championships | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2017 | Judo Grand Slam Ekaterinburg | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2017 | Judo Grand Prix The Hague | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2018 | Judo Grand Slam Düsseldorf | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2018 | Judo Grand Prix Hohhot | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2018 | Judo Grand Prix Budapest | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2018 | Judo Grand Prix The Hague | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2018 | Judo World Masters | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2019 | Judo Grand Prix Tel Aviv | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2019 | European Games | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2019 | Judo Grand Prix Zagreb | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2019 | Judo Grand Slam Abu Dhabi | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2019 | Judo World Masters | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2020 | European Judo Championships | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2021 | Judo Grand Slam Tel Aviv | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2021 | European Judo Championships | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2021 | World Judo Championships | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2021 | 2020 Summer Olympics | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2021 | 2020 Summer Olympics | Mixed team | 5th |
| 2022 | Judo Grand Slam Tel Aviv | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2022 | European Judo Championships | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2022 | Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2022 | World Judo Championships | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2022 | Judo Grand Slam Baku | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2022 | European Mixed Team Judo Championships | Mixed team | Silver |
| 2023 | Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2023 | World Judo Championships | Mixed team | Bronze |
| 2023 | Judo Grand Slam Astana | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2023 | European Games | Mixed team | Bronze |
| 2023 | Judo World Masters | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2023 | European Judo Championships | -70 kg | Bronze |
| 2023 | Judo Grand Slam Tokyo | -70 kg | Gold |
| 2024 | Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi | -70 kg | Silver |
| 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | -70 kg | 5th |
| 2024 | Judo Grand Prix Zagreb | -78 kg | Gold |
6. Public image and assessment
Sanne van Dijke's public image is shaped by her strong performances on the mat, her contributions to the sport, and her open personal identity.
6.1. Achievements and contributions to judo
Sanne van Dijke is celebrated for her consistent presence on the podium at the highest levels of judo, including Olympic and World Championship medals. Her two European Championship gold medals in 2017 and 2021, along with a World Masters title in 2023, highlight her dominance in the -70 kg category. Beyond her medal count, her actions such as carrying an injured opponent, Shiho Tanaka, off the mat at the 2022 World Championships, have been noted as acts of good sportsmanship, reflecting positive values within the competitive environment of judo. Her openness about her LGBT identity also contributes to her public image as a role model, promoting diversity and inclusion within sports.
6.2. Criticisms and controversies
While generally respected for her achievements, Sanne van Dijke has faced some criticism, particularly regarding a sportsmanship incident at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. After defeating Saki Niizoe in the quarter-finals of the women's -70 kg event, Van Dijke was observed making gestures to incite the crowd immediately upon victory, rather than performing the traditional bow. This action was met with disapproval by some observers, who considered it to be a departure from the established etiquette and spirit of judo, which emphasizes respect and humility regardless of the outcome. This incident became a point of discussion regarding the balance between competitive emotion and traditional martial arts principles.