Joëlle en Timo do jiujitsu duo system together

As it is, jiujitsu is not that well known. And then you both go and do an even less known version. How did this come about?

Timo: “I think we got it from our father. He used to do many different sports, among which was judo up to the brown belt level. I started doing judo when I was six years old. Joëlle started when she was 10 and two years later changed to jiujitsu. We started doing Duo immediately. Because of us, our other sister is also doing the Duo discipline and our brother is doing judo. It’s all in the family.”

Why did you not go for the classic  one-on-one martial art?

Joëlle: “Duo System is more controlled and is not directly competitive as a one-on-one sport is.  I really enjoy the fact that the Duo System lets you show techniques in an accessible way.”

Timo: “As I also like that competitive element, I also do one-on-one martial arts. But the nice thing about the Duo System is that you can be very creative in competitions. We think up a series of exercises in our training sessions that we want to show. We perfect these, from the degree of heavy-handedness in an exercise to the tiniest turn, so that everything is worked out in detail. As you don’t have to react immediately to the moves of your opponent in the Duo System, it is a lot less unpredictable than one-on-one and you can think up creative series and practice them.”

‘Sometimes we were still angry at each other after training’

Do you have a favourite series of techniques to do together?

Joëlle: “The one with kicking Timo’s chest! He attacks me using two  kicks to my shoulders. I get him in the stomach and push him down. Just before he can get up again, I kick him in his chest and overpower him so that he falls backwards. It’s great if it works well.”

Timo: “Yes! That is one of the new techniques that we have been practising recently.”

As you are brother and sister, are you more attuned to each other than other Duos?

Joëlle: “Many people think that, but I think that it brings extra challenges. We sometimes speak faster than we think and end up arguing more. Before, when we were at home, we were sometimes still angry with each other after training.”

Timo: “We then blamed each other for everything, like if one of us forgot something during practice. Now we can manage this a lot better. We do it together after all.”

You are both studying  at TU Delft while you live and train in Woerden. You also do a lot of major tournaments. How do combine your top level sports with your studies?

Joëlle: “We train four times a week. If I have a late lecture I only get home at 19:00 and have to be on the mat at 19:30. I now have class until 17:30 Monday to Thursday. So it can be tough.”

Timo: “I only need to be here till late on Thursday, so luckily that’s doable. But last year I missed an exam because of the World Championships. Luckily TU Delft manages this well. I got an extra chance to do the exam.”

Do you have an ultimate goal?

Timo: “Last year we came fifth in the European Championships. It was the first time that we were selected as a Duo for Team NL. We are so proud of this. Our goal is to be a winner at the European or World Championships next year or the year after that.”

Joëlle: “The European and World Championships are amazing experiences. You are suddenly put together with people that you only know from competitions and training. It feels a bit like a holiday. On the days that you don’t have to compete, you spend your time encouraging others. And the last day is a free day and we spend it in the swimming pool.”