Dutch Judo Champion Sanne van Dijke Expecting First Child

After spending nearly a decade as one of judo's most consistent champions, Dutch athlete Sanne van Dijke is preparing for her most exciting challenge yet: becoming a mother.

Van Dijke celebrated her 31st birthday this week with news that she and her partner are expecting their first child. For the former world number one judoka, it marks a joyful new chapter after years of competing at the highest level.

Her athletic achievements read like a master class in consistency. Van Dijke won Olympic bronze in Tokyo 2021, captured two European championship titles, and collected three World Championship bronze medals across three different years. She held the number one world ranking for two straight years from 2022 to 2024.

But Van Dijke has always been more than her medals. The qualified social studies teacher speaks multiple languages fluently and has become one of judo's most articulate ambassadors at international events.

Her greatest impact may come from her advocacy work. After losing her brother, Van Dijke became an ambassador for Stichting 113, the Dutch organization dedicated to suicide prevention. She speaks openly about mental health and the importance of seeking help, using her public profile to support a deeply personal cause.

Why This Inspires

Van Dijke represents a new generation of athletes who view sports as part of life, not all of it. She competed through personal grief, recovered from an emergency appendicitis earlier this year, and bounced back from a heartbreaking fifth-place finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Those who know her describe Van Dijke as a true family person. Friends say motherhood has always been particularly meaningful to her, making this announcement especially sweet.

Whether she returns for another Olympic campaign after becoming a mom or chooses a different path, her legacy is already secure. She's shown that champions can be vulnerable, that athletes can speak up about mental health, and that life's greatest victories don't always come with medals.

For now, the woman who spent years being one of the athletes everyone wanted to beat is focused on a different kind of preparation entirely.