Louis Wijdenbosch candidate as head coach for Georgia

Louis Wijdenbosch (53) is the major candidate to become the new head coach of the Georgian Judo Federation. The Dutchman won Olympic gold as coach of the Dutch team when Mark Huizinga captured the Olympic title in 2000. Within the Belgian team Wijdenbosch coached Elco van der Geest to the European titles in 2010.

Georgia is in a crisis with a scission of opinions about the future strategy. President and a group of athletes are opposed to each other and a meeting would always be the best solution. Meanwhile President David Kevkishvili is taking action by presenting his plans to the government on Monday morning.

Wijdenbosch is an experienced coach and was national head coach of the Netherlands since October 1997 until 2001 and has been physiotherapist as a profession. In 2009 he became personal coach of Elco van der Geest fighting for Belgium at the 2009 World Championships and convinced with a reborn Van der Geest taking the European title one year later. Also other athletes became European Champion under Wijdenbosch such as Dennis van der Geest, Patrick van Kalken and Mark Huizinga. Wijdenbosch was deeply involved of Dutch leading club Kenamju and celebrated many successes with the club. As head coach of the Netherlands the men’s team became European champion twice in 1997 and 1998. Later he helped developing the Elmont brothers to European and World success with individual coaching on behalf of head coach Cor van der Geest which later led to the World title for Guillaume Elmont and World and European success for Dex Elmont.

As an athlete he fought U78kg at the World Championships in 1993in Hamilton. Wijdenbosch was approached for his experience and disciplined way of working and experience in education and physical training.

The Georgian Federation also approached other international coaches such as Mark Huizinga and Benoit Campargue who were engaged in this stage of their lives. Wijdenbosch is currently in Georgia to discuss his candidacy.

The last foreign coach for Georgia , Peter Seisenbacher, led to the Olympic title of Lasha Shavdatuashvili in 2012 and a new generation for the next four years.