Dutch women give the rebuild real momentum in Kazakhstan

A fresh coaching chapter is starting to show on the tatami for the Netherlands. Since returning in August to lead the Dutch team, head coach Mark Van Der Ham has been part of a wider reset, and the early signs in Kazakhstan were hard to miss.

On the opening day of the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam, the Dutch women delivered a standout performance. Amber Gersjes, 28, claimed the -48 kg title for her first World Judo Tour gold, while Shannon Van De Meeberg took bronze in the -57 kg category, also earning her first grand slam medal.

That strong start did not fade on day two. Sanne Van Dijke added another bronze, giving the Netherlands three medals across the first two days and underlining the impact of the team’s recent work.

The Dutch women turned a rebuild into real results.

Van Der Ham is a familiar name in elite judo. Before returning home, he spent time with Belgium, notably working with Matthias Casse, and then had a brief spell in Azerbaijan. Now back with the Netherlands, he has been careful not to frame the recent success as a one-man story.

His focus is on the group. He explained that the training centre structure was rebuilt and that the staff tried to create a different atmosphere and energy. He also pointed out that the women’s side currently has more depth, while there is a gap in the lightweight men’s categories.

That context makes the weekend in Kazakhstan even more meaningful. These were not just medals on a results sheet. They were signs that the new direction may be starting to connect, especially in the women’s team.

For Van Der Ham, the key word is learning. He spoke about the need for coaches and athletes alike to stay open-minded and keep improving. In Amber Gersjes’ case, he said the aim was to bring more structure to her judo.

According to him, the athletes already know how to do judo, but performing at their best depends on refining strategy and decision-making. Competition matters because winning matters, but also because tournaments expose details that training alone cannot always reveal.

Winning matters, but so does learning under pressure.

Van Der Ham also linked the current progress to a broader team effort. He said his time away in Belgium and Azerbaijan added to his experience, and that he has returned with ideas that fit into a collective project. He described the current moment as a shared process involving the coaching staff and the athletes together.

That process also includes technical director Guillaume Elmont, who took on his role four months before Van Der Ham came back. Elmont, a world champion himself, invited him to return as part of the rebuilding phase. For a team trying to rise again, that kind of experience and alignment can matter as much as any single tactical adjustment.

The Netherlands will know that one strong grand slam does not decide everything. Still, this was the kind of weekend that gives a team belief. With Olympic qualification beginning, the timing of these results feels important, and for the Dutch women especially, the message from Kazakhstan was clear: progress is no longer just a plan.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation