Who’s next? Steenhuis latest Olympian to retire

Dutch judoka Guusje Steenhuis has decided to end her international career, closing the chapter on more than ten years at the highest level. The U78kg fighter leaves the sport with an impressive collection of medals and the respect of the entire judo world.

Steenhuis won three World Championship medals, including silver in Baku (2018) and bronze in Budapest (2021) and Doha (2023). She was also a regular on European podiums and captured the European Games title in 2019. On the IJF World Tour she proved to be a true medal machine with seven Grand Slam titles and numerous podium finishes.

She represented the Netherlands at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Paris, finishing seventh twice. Although an Olympic medal just escaped her, she was for many years among the best in the world and even held the number one spot on the world ranking between 2017 and 2019.

But now, at 33, Steenhuis feels the time is right for something new. She still loves judo, but the pull of a career outside sport became stronger. Her final match came in February 2026 against Germany’s Alina Böhm.

In advance of the 2024 Olympic Games Steenhuis won the Grand Slam in Baku

Interestingly, Steenhuis is not the only Olympian stepping away about one to two years after Paris 2024. More and more athletes seem to take one more season after the Games before deciding to move on. It raises the question: who will be next?

Her retirement marks the end of a strong Dutch generation, but also reminds young judoka that careers, even successful ones, never last forever.

One thing is certain: Guusje Steenhuis leaves the tatami as a fighter, a team player and a role model for the next generation.

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