Judoka Roy Meyer is ending his career. The 34-year-old heavyweight from Breda, who won three bronze medals at the World Championships, feels it’s time.
“It’s very bittersweet,” says Meyer, who competed in the over 100 kilogram class, on Friday to AD. “Judo has shown me the world. It has become part of my identity. It’s strange to distance myself from that identity.”
But for Meyer, it also feels like a relief. “I had been weighing things for a while. I’m glad I made the decision now. A lot has happened in my life in the last year and a half.”
In the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Meyer suffered a serious knee injury, had lung problems, and went through a divorce. The events weighed heavily on him.
“In between, there was also trouble with the judo association, so I didn’t have a trainer,” says Meyer. “After talking to my girlfriend, friends and family, I am sure this is the best choice.”
‘It is good like this’
Meyer won bronze at the World Championships in 2019, 2021 and 2023. In 2017 and 2022 he took European bronze. He participated in the Olympic Games once. That was in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, where he finished in seventh place.
Meyer was not present at the Tokyo Games in 2021. He lost a fierce battle for an Olympic ticket to his great rival Henk Grol, with whom he had argued several times.
Missing the Paris Games last year gnawed at Meyer, who has now found peace. “An Olympic medal could have been the icing on the cake, but I think my cake is big enough. My life happiness does not depend on an Olympic medal. It is good like this.”
Meyer remains active in martial arts. After his participation in the TV program Boxing Influencers, he continued boxing. “I really caught the boxing virus. I really see a future in this branch of martial arts.”