Paralympic Gold Cyclist Switches to Judo for LA28

Larissa Klaassen won Paralympic gold on a tandem bike in Tokyo, but you'll find her on the judo mat now, chasing an entirely new dream.

The Dutch athlete's cycling career ended unexpectedly when her pilot partner retired for a new job. Despite months of searching, Klaassen couldn't find another cycling partner willing to commit to the elite training schedule.

The sudden end left her feeling lost. "I missed the life of an elite athlete terribly," she said. "Of course, deep down I was still an athlete, but I missed competing, performing and setting goals."

The answer was hiding in her past. During her cycling days, Klaassen trained at a gym on Texel in the Netherlands, where owner Nico Waerts introduced her to judo around 2013. She earned a yellow belt but kept it as a hobby, knowing the injury risk could threaten her cycling career.

On December 30, 2025, sitting with Waerts again, everything changed. "I was feeling completely lost," she recalled. "Nico said, 'Why don't you give judo a try?' Apparently, I needed someone else to say it to me." She started full intensity training that same day.

The progress has been remarkable. Just nine months later, Klaassen won bronze at her first European Championships. She made her international debut at the Grand Prix in Sao Paulo in July, finishing fifth against athletes who've trained for decades.

Why This Inspires

Klaassen's journey shows that starting over doesn't mean starting from scratch. Her years as an elite athlete gave her the mental strength, physical conditioning, and competitive drive that translate across sports. The discipline she built winning gold in cycling now powers her rapid rise in judo.

She's fully aware the timeline is tight. "I fully realize that becoming a good judoka in two and a half years and then wanting to win a medal at the Games is pretty crazy," she said with a laugh. "But I'm not starting with the mindset that taking part is more important than winning. I'm a perfectionist, and I genuinely believe I can do it."

The national coach shares her confidence. "What encouraged me was that the national coach said I can genuinely match the competition in terms of strength and technique," Klaassen explained. "It sounds pretty crazy to hear that you can beat people who have been practicing this sport for 10 or 20 years."

The unpredictability of judo challenges her in new ways. Unlike cycling, where her effort directly predicted her times, judo opponents are unknown variables. "It takes some getting used to, but that's also what makes it so much fun," she said.

For now, 2026 is about gaining experience, including at the upcoming IBSA Judo World Championship. "This really is the sport that has filled the void in my heart," Klaassen said. "I feel completely whole again as Larissa, as a person."

Sometimes the end of one dream clears the path for another.