ANNEX #2.5.4
NATIONAL HEROES FROM EINDHOVEN Inge de Bruijn In the period from May to July 2000, Inge swam a series of eight world records at four distances. Never before a swimmer established this many world records (50m and 100m freestyle, 50m and 100m butterfly) within such a short period of time. She fulfilled her sporting dream and won four gold, two silver and two bronze Olympic medals in Sydney and Athens. Inge de Bruijn is the most successful swimmer and athlete in Dutch history.
Inge Dekker With three different coloured medals to her name from three different Olympic Games, this freestyle and butterfly specialist has never let anyone down during the last decennium. World Champion 50m butterfly Shanghai: 2011.
Pieter van den Hoogenband Three times Olympic, fourteen times European (short and long course) and 54 times Dutch champion, Pieter, also known as ‘the Dutch Dolphin’, is the Netherlands’ superstar. Winning the 100m freestyle at the Olympics two times in a row instantly made him a Dutch hero. Pieter van den Hoogenband became four times European Swimmer of the Year, once Best Swimmer in the world (in the year 2000) and three times Dutch Sportsman of the Year. Van den Hoogenband received the Laurens Sportsman award in 2001.
Hinkelien Schreuder As an all-round short course specialist she is the world record holder on the 100m individual medley. She has always been an important factor in many consecutive European and World records and world best-time winning relays. Starting very young, Hinkelien has won the highest number of national women’s titles in Dutch swimming history ever.
Maarten van der Weijden Maarten van der Weijden has always been an accomplished swimmer. From the late 90s until 2008 he competed in many World Championships, National Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and has won many a medal. Whether it is open water, long course, or the 22-km IJsselmeer crossing, the man can do it all. In 2001, he was diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukaemia and spent six months in hospital. He overcame his illness and got back in the game with a bang, becoming the first ever Olympic Champion in open water.
Ranomi Kromowidjojo After many titles with the freestyle relays on long and short course European, World and Olympic Championships, Ranomi won her first individual world title at the short course World Championships in 2010. Specialised in freestyle and winning two gold medals at the London Olympic Games she emerged as the new hero of the Dutch people.
Marleen Veldhuis First time World Champion at the Short Course World Championships 25m in 2004, Marleen made a step towards many more individual titles at European and World Championships. She became a valued member of the Dutch 4x100m freestyle relay team who won all major titles in the years between 2006 and 2011. Still world record holder on the 50m freestyle Short Course and already a mum, Marleen won a bronze Olympic medal on the 50m freestyle in London 2012.
Jacco Verhaeren Pieter van den Hoogenband and Ranomi Kromowidjojo are just two international swimming superstars under his leadership. Their Olympic gold medals, won in Sydney and London, are just a few highlights of his career as a swimming coach. He truly is an exceptional coach. Elected as Dutch Coach of the Decade he is, besides being a technical director of the Royal Dutch Swimming Federation, the strategist behind Dutch elite swimming since 2006.
THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHAMPION
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