Do you remember Geesink in 1964? Hosts were not happy, I heard.
Yes, I saw it on TV at the time, Even then I knew it was a big deal.
My old trainer Ruska took the train from Amsterdam to Tokyo to fight which Geesink did not like. They refused. 8 years later Ruska got revenge by winning 2 gold medals in Munich. Geesink was sneaky. He wanted to be #1 in NL and Japan.
The Ruska club in Amsterdam was called Oyama; he gave the name + all his photos etc, to the new Oyama club of which I am also a member. They parade me now an then as the Parthenon marbles. A year ago I trained with Ruska's Munich sparring partner .. he is now 85.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmjLmw6mXNA
Okana won gold in 1964; best judoka ever.
2021 Henk Grol is Holland's hope .. he's 36..