Matthias Casse: Mark van der Ham shaped me

World Champion Matthias Casse is no longer trained by the Dutchman Mark van der Ham. Casse noted his best results on the side of Van der Ham: gold at the European Championships and World Championships and bronze at the Games in Tokyo. "Mark shaped my judo style. I understand his decision, but that doesn't make it any less difficult to process."

After a collaboration of five years with the Flemish Judo Federation, Mark van der Ham decided to look for other places. At that time, the experienced Dutchman was the basis of all the successes of top judoka Matthias Casse.

Now their ways part. "I was still a junior when the collaboration with Mark started in February 2017. Now he takes on a new challenge. I understand that decision, but that doesn't make it any less difficult to process," Casse said in a press release.

"Over the past five years Mark and I have stimulated each other. We have also both grown in our careers: Mark as a trainer, me as an athlete. Under his care I have grown into a complete judoka. I achieved almost all my results with Mark as a trainer : a European title, gold at the World Championships, as the first Belgian man ever, and Olympic bronze."

Under the care of Mark I have grown into a complete judoka.

Van der Ham molded Casse into the judoka he is today. "He shaped my judo style and taught me structure in daily life and in my judo with a clear vision", Casse recalls.

"Mark has an incredible amount of judo knowledge and is also able to transfer it well. He taught me to understand judo. We say goodbye to each other on a sporting level with great mutual respect."

"We will meet again on and off the mat. And I know that I can still count on him. I wish Mark all the best in his new position. I am convinced that he will do an excellent job and that is what judo can do only benefit."

Van der Ham was important not only for Casse, but also for the entire judo federation. "He helped lay the foundations of the current structure," says Casse. "Together with Damiano Martinuzzi, he offered the judokas the widest possible support."

"We should also see today's change as an opportunity. Judo is so versatile and there are still many aspects in which I can grow. A new coach, who is complementary to Damiano, and who launches new ideas with a refreshing view, can continue the development of me and the other judokas within Judo Vlaanderen."

"I am very grateful for the excellent and successful collaboration with Mark, but I also look to the future with confidence, with confidence in myself and in Judo Vlaanderen", concludes Casse, who is preparing for the Grand Slam of Tel Aviv.