Heading the -81kg category this year is Matthias CASSE (BEL). The 2019 European Games Champion and World silver medallist stepped on to the senior circuit at the end of 2017 as the Junior World Champion and the rest is history.
It is rare that we don’t see him on the podium and especially coming in to the would-be Olympic year of 2020, Casse took the IJF Masters title and then cemented his top position with a gold in the Paris Grand Slam.
Most recently he gave an exemplary performance in the post-lockdown European Championships against team mate Sami CHOUCHI in a true bronze battle, finally acquiring a score just shy of six minutes in to golden score. We will be seeing great things from him in the future.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen