Aymen Achnine: ‘High-performance sport means you lose more often than you win’

Aymen started with taekwondo when he was six. His brother was already practicing the sport, so it was a logical step for Aymen. “It began as a recreational activity and I earned higher and higher belts. Sometimes I participated in a contest. I was extremely competitive and I was a bad loser. That is why I started training in a different way: I did not want to lose. I wanted to be the best.” At age ten, Aymen moved to Eindhoven. He joined a taekwondo school that was more focused on competitive opportunities, which motivated him even more. In high school, Aymen won international prizes, including the Dutch Championships. He decided to focus completely on high-performance sport. This hard work paid off when he was selected for the European championship . It earned him a place on the Olympic team.

Flexible study program

After high school, Aymen opted for a Law program at Tilburg University. “I had heard a lot of good things about the university and about the program itself but also about the support for student athletes,” Aymen recalls. He started his studies during the Covid pandemic, which made studying and practicing sports more difficult. On the other hand, because there was very little opportunity for training, he managed to pass his first year. When training and competing intensified, the university offered a flexible program, allowing Aymen to do fewer courses at the same time. Instead of ten courses, he takes five or six a year. “That allows me to concentrate on my sports activities without neglecting my studies. And if I’m not able to attend a class, I can watch it online. I am very glad about the support and flexibility of the instructors. The annual funding of the Have a Seat program of the university fund, including sponsoring of events and a budget for one-off costs, also helps me enormously as a student athlete.”

Without my brother, my sports career would have been quite different

Brotherly bond

Aymen’s brother, who introduced Aymen to taekwondo, is no longer active in that sport. But he is actively involved in every step of Aymen’s career. “We were in the same team and we have experienced great moments together. Becoming Dutch champion together, for instance, and participating in various tournaments,” Aymen looks back with pride. Aymen’s brother is now a coach. “When my own coach could not accompany me to an event, my brother came. For instance, to the University Games in Chengdu in China. He has meant a lot to me; he was the big brother I could always rely on. Without him, my sports career would have been quite different.”

Determination and a fighting spirit

To become a student athlete, you need a special mindset. “In the beginning, it is difficult to lose, not fun at all. That doesn’t change. But what is important is how you deal with it. I am better at putting things in perspective now than I was before,” Aymen says. “High-performance sport means you lose more often than you win. That goes for even the best athletes. You gain nothing if you can’t roll with the punches. In fact, I often make great progress after a loss. If you analyse a lost match well, you can profit from your loss. And sometimes loss is inevitable: your opponent is simply better than you, or you are having an off day.”

Taekwondo is a sport in which a match can play out in all sorts of ways so the outcome is always unpredictable

Olympic ambitions

Aymen’s next goal is qualification for the Olympic Games. The qualification tournament took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, on March 9 and 10. In preparation, Aymen trained twice daily, Monday to Saturday. How did he rate his chances? “Taekwondo is a sport in which a match can play out in all sorts of ways so the outcome is always unpredictable. However, I have made great progress. Not so long ago, we were talking about the 2028 Olympic Games. Now participation in the 2024 Games seems within reach. The chance that I will manage to qualify is realistic, but I will have to fight for it. It is quite exciting. I will focus on my goals and hope that my dream becomes reality.”

Aymen’s advice for student athletes? “Always take your goals seriously. Whether you want to be the best in your field or aim for Olympic gold, you will need a lot of perseverance. It is certainly possible, but you will have to give it your all.”

Date of publication: 14 March 2024