Robert Van de Walle
Robert Van de Walle ( born May 20, 1954 in Ostend) is a former Belgian judoka, who won two Olympic medals.
Career
Robert Van de Walle fought from 1972 to 1976 in the light heavyweight division to 93 kg, according to the new classification from 1977, he was active until his career end in the class up to 95 kg, in addition to his start at light heavyweight, he joined sometimes in the open class.
In 1973 he won at the World Military Championships at light heavyweight and won second place in the Open Class. The following year, he won first place for the first time at an international tournament when he won at the Dutch Open Championships. At the Junior World Championships in 1974, he reached the second place. In 1975 and 1976 he won an international tournament ever, at the European Championships in 1976, he finished second behind Tengiz Chubuluri from the Soviet Union. At the Olympic Games in 1976 Robert Van de Walle retired early.
1977 lost Robert Van de Walle again in the European Championship finals, this time Dietmar Lorenz won from the GDR; also won Robert Van de Walle bronze in the open class. In 1979 he repeated in Brussels twice medal win, he again lost the light heavyweight final against Chubuluri. Half a year after the European Championships took place in Paris in the World Judo Championships in 1979 and again defeated the Belgian in the final against Chubuluri. 1980 won Robert Van de Walle at the European Championships Open Class, his opponent in the final was Angelo Parisi. At the Olympic Games in 1980, Robert Van de Walle and Tengiz Chubuluri were again compared in the light heavyweight finals and this time the Belgian won. After 1979, Robert Van de Walle won in 1980 for the second time in the election for the Belgian Sportsman of the Year. In 1981, he lost the World Cup final against Chubuluri, additionally won the bronze medal of the Belgians in the open class.
After a medal -less 1982 he won four medals at the 1983 European and World Championships, in his only championship final he was defeated at the European Championships in the Open class against Angelo Parisi. In 1984, he won several tournaments, the highlight of the season, the 1984 Olympics, he retired, however, from the first round.
1984 Robert Van de Walle had won at the European Championships his last medal in the Open Class, at the age of now more than 30 years, he is now focused entirely on the light heavyweight division. In 1985 and 1986 he won the European title, both times was the Frenchman Roger Vachon his final opponent. The bronze medal at the 1988 Olympic Games and at the World Championships in 1989 were his last major medals. In 1992, Robert Van de Walle was the first judoka for the fifth time in the Olympic Games in part, he took again the seventh.
Robert Van de Walle won international titles in addition to his two Belgian champion titles in 1977 in the light heavyweight and 1978 in the open class.