Top Level Judo was created in 1983 and set up its quarters at Rue du Crampon in Tournai. But the building quickly becomes too narrow in view of the growing success of the club. The club therefore decides to move to Rue du Désert and create a superb dojo there.
All the ingredients were there to allow the JTN to establish itself permanently in the Belgian sporting landscape: a competent founding coach, high-level facilities, talented judokas and a nursery for young people. In just a few years, JTN has grown into one of the best clubs in the country.
The big names of JTN
Since its creation, the Top Level has distinguished itself in numerous individual tournaments in Belgium but also abroad. Marisabelle Lomba (bronze medalist at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996) proudly wore the Tournai colors. And the names of many former members or current members inspire respect: Joke Buysschaert, Frédéric Duquennois, Julie Mahieu, Raphaël Dubois, the Richeling brothers, Samy Gamby, the Raquet brothers, Ariane Couquement, Sophie Lutyn, Geoffrey “Nono” Leguillier, Ignace Hart, Magali and Sylvain Mercier, Angelo Mendolia, Samuël Sudan, Jérémy Callens, Frédéric Scohier…
We can also pin Anne-Sophie Jura (at the foot of the podium in the world championship – and European medalist) Damiano Martinuzzi (current coach of Toma Nikiforov), Miguel Toril Garcia (long coach of the French-speaking team), Sandrine Billiet (recent participation at the Tokyo Olympics).
Champion seeds
Among our most current members: Allison Hollevoet (Belgian champion), Julien Debruycker (3 times Belgian champion), and our spearhead Loïs Petit who started judo at JTN at the age of 5 and who is now hui one of the rare professional in judo. She has a breathtaking record among young people with 6 European medals and 2 world medals and does not intend to stop there.
Finally, if this club proudly wears a large “competitions” label on the back, it does not only offer that, far from it. Because at JTN, “judo dilettante” has its place. 6-year-old children or 60-year-old pensioners can also thrive there in an atmosphere that has remained family despite the successes. We even have a “baby-judo” group for children from 3 to 4 years old. In short, everyone has their place at JTN ????
