Municipal award for young sports talents from Purmerend who have only one goal: “to become world champion”

Three athletes received the municipal sports medal on Wednesday evening from Alderman Mario Hegger. Their common point: all three teenagers, and all three crowned with success at the Dutch championships.

Ryan Bosch is the youngest of the group: 13 years old and a successful baseball player. He never played in the Purmerend Flying Petrels association, he says: Ryan immediately started in an association where he could showcase himself. After the Amsterdam Pirates, the Amsterdam Diamonds followed.

With a regional team from Amsterdam and Kennemerland, the young Purmerender became champion of the Netherlands in his age group last year, then the team also won the title at the European championship in the Czech Republic . Good for an invitation to participate in the Little League Intermediate World Series – the world championship – in America.

successful year

,,We were the first European team to participate,” said Ryan proudly. Unfortunately, the team’s victory lap ended there, but with two championship medals, the Purmerender can look back on a successful year. Alderman Mario Hegger added a prize on Wednesday evening in the form of a municipal sports medal and an accompanying certificate.

Ryan hopes this is the start of an overflowing trophy cabinet. He certainly has ambitions. ,,I want to get as good as possible and go as far as possible.” This year he will try to qualify for the Dutch team for players up to 15 years old. ,,If I succeed, I can participate in the world championship in Tokyo next year.”

Princeton

America is where Purmerend athlete Julia Jongejeugd settled as a student and where she combines her studies in civil engineering at the famous Princeton University with her sport. Before leaving for America, the now 19-year-old from Purmerend won junior titles in her own country, first with the Purmerend NEA Volharding association, later with Hera in Heerhugowaard.

In 2020 she already became the Dutch all-around champion, after which she specialized in the 400 meters hurdles, but now it has again become the all-around where her heart rests. She owes her Purmerend sports medal to the silver medal she won in the 200 meters last year at the Dutch Indoor Athletics Championships.

In America she is not yet at her best, partly due to injuries, father Hans Jongejeugd analyzes Julia’s performance on Wednesday evening, but she has already finished the first competitions, he sees an upward trend and the outdoor season will begin next month. ,,The school year will be over in May, so she will return to the Netherlands to compete here.” The senior national championships are already written in big letters in his diary, he laughs. The sports medal was received by Julia’s younger sister, Snowy.

win and lose

The world is open to 17-year-old Thai boxer Rachid Babiker after winning his Dutch title in the weight class up to 64 kilograms. ,,You do not even have the right to vote yet, but you are already champion of the Netherlands,” remarked the alderman Mario Hegger during the presentation of the sports medal. And to think that Rachid previously, like his three brothers, was pursuing a football career.

But he traded football boots for the boxing ring when he fell in love with kickboxing. Initially at the community center ‘t Noot, but now he trains almost daily at the Muay Thai gym. He won ten of thirteen matches, including the Dutch title. ,,But if you lose, you keep going,” Hegger said. And that’s what the sports medal is for: the persevering. “All life is a winner and a loser.”

knock out

Rachid just wants to win. His goal? ,,I must and will become world kickboxing champion.” He has been training there for six years now, under the inspiring guidance of his trainer Moes, six to eight times a week. ,,Conditional training, bodybuilding, sparring”, he summarizes. Initially, he combined martial arts with football, but eventually opted for Thai boxing.

Ten wins, including a knockout. ,,It felt good”, Rachid must admit. He is hoping to go overseas soon, as is fellow gym mate Imrane Iklil who will be cleared to fight Thai boxing for the world bantamweight title in April in the Spanish city of Barcelona.

Does Richard have a chance? Coach Moes thinks so. “He is a super talent. If Rachid continues to do well, there is definitely a chance that he will become world champion. As a coach, I only have to do two things with him: pepper him and give him gas. He’ll get there.”