My path to the Olympics wasn’t traditional — it was fueled by belief, built on setbacks, and carried by a relentless will to keep going.

At 12, I already dreamed of the Olympic Games. By 17, I had a successful youth career behind me — but I was outgrowing the class, literally. The former Olympic board favored lighter riders, and maintaining the required 74 kg became unhealthy and unsustainable. I hit a wall — physically and mentally — and made the difficult decision to quit. Truthfully, it didn’t even feel that hard. The joy was gone, and with it, the fire.

But I never truly walked away. I started foiling in the non-Olympic class — one of the early adopters. The plan was to stop after the summer of 2019 and start university. But unexpectedly, I won the Youth and Senior World Championships. Suddenly, new opportunities opened up. The Olympic dream? Still alive.

Then COVID hit — and the world paused. But during that time, the Olympics made a game-changing move: they switched to foiling. I stood on the sidelines for a year, hesitant. Eventually, I bought a kit, just to give it a shot.

No coach. No team. No support — just me.

I finished 12th at my first international event in the new Olympic class. It wasn’t groundbreaking, but I was proud. I showed up, alone. That day, I ran into the Dutch national coach — my former coach — who looked me in the eyes and said:
“Luuc, what are you even doing here? What’s the point? You don’t deserve this.”

That moment sparked something deep inside me.

I moved to Lake Garda and trained every single day for two months. Still no coach, still no plan — just willpower and a vision to prove I belonged. I trained alongside my Italian friends, who later became my Olympic training partners. It paid off — I got 3rd at the 2021 World Championships in Switzerland, miles ahead of every other Dutch rider.

Still, no trust from the federation.

Despite proving I was the best, I had to “earn” my way back into the national team — a team where others weren’t even close to my level. I did it again: 3rd at the European Championships. That podium launched me into what I’d call a high-speed rollercoaster towards Paris 2024.

I joined the Olympic team with Aaron McIntosh, Kiran Badloe, and Huig Jan Tak. We worked well together until it became clear the internal goal was to back Kiran for the Olympic spot. A tough thing to accept — especially when you’re fully committed and all the way across the world in New Zealand. But in hindsight, it was a defining moment.

Fuel was added to the fire.

In May 2023, I made the hardest — and best — decision of my career: to leave the team and trust my own vision. I formed my own international training group and went all in. No structure, no guarantees, and only a fraction of federation support. Just a mission — and incredible people like Maximo and Antonio helping me on the water. We pushed harder than ever.

And we did it — we won the World Championships. On home waters. Against all odds. A dream week. And again — miles ahead of the rest of the Dutch team.

That win finally earned me some trust from the federation. I got my own coach, Federico, and kept building. Together with my training partners — Geronimo, Luca, and Nicolo — we trained day in, day out, focused on one thing: being better than the rest of the world.

At the 2024 Worlds, we delivered. Nicolo won it, I finished 3rd, and the Olympic selection was locked in.
I was going to my first Olympic Games.

A dream come true — but also, just another competition I was determined to win.
Maybe a bit too much.

I struggled to find my rhythm early in the Games. I lost the lead and had to fight my way back through the fleet. Heading into the final day, Fede and I made a decision:
All or nothing. Go for gold — or don’t care what we get.

We gave everything — and in a thrilling medal race, we crossed the line in 3rd.
An Olympic bronze medal.

It wasn’t the gold I came for, but it was something more: a lesson in resilience, trust, and staying true to your path — even when no one else believes in it.

And now?
The next chapter begins.
Los Angeles 2028 — I’m coming for gold.

And right here on this website, I’ll keep you updated on that journey.
Because the fire’s still burning. The dream is still alive.
And this story is just getting started.