Marleen Veldhuis
Encyclopedia
Magdalena Johanna Maria Veldhuis (born 29 June 1979 in Borne
, Overijssel
) is a professional swimmer from the Netherlands. She is world record holder in 4 events (1 individual event and 3 relay events). Veldhuis has won 6 world championships gold medals and 20 European championships gold medals. In the Olympics, not living up to expectations, she only managed to win two relay medals: bronze in Athens 2004 and gold in Beijing 2008.
in the Netherlands. She was brought up in the eastern part of the Netherlands.
Marleen Veldhuis is a former water polo
player which she combined with swimming. After she decided to focus completely on swimming, Veldhuis made her international debut during the 2002 European Aquatics Championships in Berlin, at the relatively late age of 23, where she won a bronze medal in the 4×100 m freestyle as part of a team with Manon van Rooijen
, Chantal Groot
and Wilma van Hofwegen
. At the end of the year, she competed in Riesa
for the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2002. There she won bronze medals in both relays, 4×50 m freestyle and 4×50 m medley.
it turned out to be a great decision as she reached two individual finals in the 50 m freestyle ending 7th, and in the 100 m freestyle finishing 8th. In Barcelona
she also reached the final in all relay events but did not win a medal. In December she participated in the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2003 where she won her first international titles in the 50 m freestyle and the 4×50 m freestyle. In Dublin she also won silver in the 100 m freestyle and bronze in the 4×50 m medley. 2004 started off with the 2004 European Aquatics Championships in Madrid
. There Veldhuis won two silver medals in the 4×100 m freestyle, together with Chantal Groot, Annabel Kosten
and Inge Dekker
, and individually in the 100 m freestyle. At the end of the week there was a bronze medal in the 4×100 m medley relay alongside Stefanie Luiken, Madelon Baans
and Chantal Groot.
Veldhuis made her Olympic debut at the age of 25 and won the bronze medal in the 4×100 m freestyle, together with Inge de Bruijn
, Inge Dekker
and Chantal Groot
. Her individual results at the Olympics were slightly disappointing with the 9th place in the 50 m freestyle and the 11th place in the 100 m freestyle. She was the anchor lady in the 4×100 m medley, she took over from de Bruijn who swam the butterfly leg, finishing 6th.
in Indianapolis
by beating Libby Lenton
from Australia and Therese Alshammar
from Sweden. In the 100 m freestyle she received a bronze medal behind Lenton and Sweden's
Josefin Lillhage
. In December she successfully defended her 50 m freestyle at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2004. In Vienna
she also won gold in both 4×50 m freestyle and 4×50 m medley, there was a silver medal for Veldhuis in the 100 m freestyle behind French Malia Metella
. She achieved her best long-course result so far by winning the silver medal in the 50 m freestyle at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships
in Montreal
, which was the only medal for her country during these World Championships. The European Short Course Swimming Championships 2005 were very successful for Veldhuis. In Trieste
she defended all her titles from the year before, but now she won also the gold medal in the 100 m freestyle.
and Inge Dekker, Veldhuis set a world record and won the gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle relay at the 2006 FINA Short Course World Championships
. She failed to defend her 50 m freestyle title ending third. She finished second behind long-time rival Libby Lenton in the 100 m freestyle. In the summer she competed in the 2006 European Aquatics Championships, in Budapest
, Hungary where she ended second in the 100 m freestyle, behind German's
Britta Steffen
who broke the world record, and third in the 50 m freestyle. In the 4×100 m freestyle relay she received a silver medal together with Chantal Groot, Inge Dekker and newcomer Ranomi Kromowidjojo
. After these Championships she split up with her coach, Fedor Hes, and started to work with Jacco Verhaeren
, who at the time was also working with triple Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband
. In Helsinki
she successfully defended her 50 m and 100 m freestyle titles at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2006
, but lost the her relay titles when her team ended second in the 4×50 m freestyle and did not start in the 4×50 m medley. Just before this championships she had bettered Annemarie Verstappen's
long standing 200 m freestyle national record.
in Melbourne
, Australia. There she won the silver medal behind Libby Lenton. Veldhuis won the bronze medal in the 50 m freestyle despite being the favourite before the final. Alongside Inge Dekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, and another young talent Femke Heemskerk
, she won bronze in the 4×100 m freestyle relay. In November at the Berlin leg of the 2007 FINA Swimming World Cup
series, Veldhuis broke Swede Therese Alshammar
's 50 m freestyle world record. Alshammar's world record had stood at 23.59 since March 2000. The new standard is 23.58 seconds. One month later she qualified for the Beijing Olympics with personal bests in the 50 and 100 m freestyle during the Dutch Open Swim Cup 2007 and competed at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2007
. In Debrecen
she won the 50 m freestyle for the fifth time in a row but lost her 100 m freestyle title to Britta Steffen due to a bad turn, finishing second. She also won gold in the 4×50 m freestyle. A few days after the tournament she was elected Dutch Sportswoman of the Year
.
. She also broke the 4×100 m freestyle relay world record, together with Inge Dekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Femke Heemskerk, and won the gold medal. The new standard is 3:33.62. Veldhuis also won a bronze medal in 4×100 m medley alongside Hinkelien Schreuder
, Jolijn van Valkengoed
and Inge Dekker. In April's 2008 FINA Short Course World Championships
in Manchester
Veldhuis won four gold medals. Individually in the 50 m freestyle, lowering her own world record to 23.25, and the 100 m freestyle beating home favourite Francesca Halsall
. Furthermore she won gold in the 4×200 m freestyle with Dekker, Heemskerk and Kromowidjojo, bettering the world record. With Hinkelien Schreuder replacing Kromowidjojo, the Dutch team also lowered their own world record in the 4×100 m freestyle.
she won the gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle relay together with Inge Dekker
, Ranomi Kromowidjojo
and Femke Heemskerk
, they swam just 0.14 seconds outside their own world record. Individually she did not achieve what she expected to, with the sixth place in the 100 m freestyle and the fifth in the 50 m freestyle.
, for the 50 m and 100 m freestyle she had already qualified at the Olympics. The next week, she won four gold medals at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2008
in Rijeka
, Croatia
, in the 50 m and 100 m freestyle and 4×50 m freestyle and 4×50 m medley. In the 100 m freestyle she lowered her own European record during the heats, she also finished fourth in the 100 m butterfly.
on the same day. At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships
in Rome
, Italy
she won the gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle alongside Inge Dekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Femke Heemskerk.
as part of the 4×100m freestyle relay alongside Inge Dekker
, Ranomi Kromowidjojo
and Femke Heemskerk
in a time of 3:33.96.
Borne (Overijssel)
Borne is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. Its inhabitants also have the nickname Melbuul .-Population centres :*Borne*Hertme*Zenderen...
, Overijssel
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
) is a professional swimmer from the Netherlands. She is world record holder in 4 events (1 individual event and 3 relay events). Veldhuis has won 6 world championships gold medals and 20 European championships gold medals. In the Olympics, not living up to expectations, she only managed to win two relay medals: bronze in Athens 2004 and gold in Beijing 2008.
Early life
Veldhuis was born on 29 June 1979 in BorneBorne (Overijssel)
Borne is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. Its inhabitants also have the nickname Melbuul .-Population centres :*Borne*Hertme*Zenderen...
in the Netherlands. She was brought up in the eastern part of the Netherlands.
Swimming career
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
player which she combined with swimming. After she decided to focus completely on swimming, Veldhuis made her international debut during the 2002 European Aquatics Championships in Berlin, at the relatively late age of 23, where she won a bronze medal in the 4×100 m freestyle as part of a team with Manon van Rooijen
Manon van Rooijen
Manon van Rooijen is a freestyle swimmer from the Netherlands, who was a member of the Dutch Women's 4×100 m freestyle relay Team that won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia...
, Chantal Groot
Chantal Groot
Chantal Groot is a butterfly and freestyle swimmer from the Netherlands, who has represented her country in many international championships since 1999...
and Wilma van Hofwegen
Wilma van Hofwegen
Willemina Cornelia Adriana van Hofwegen-Van Rijn is a former freestyle swimmer from the Netherlands, who was a member of the Dutch Women's 4×100 m freestyle relay Team that won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.Van Hofwegen did so alongside Inge de Bruijn,...
. At the end of the year, she competed in Riesa
Riesa
Riesa is a town in the district of Meißen in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is located at the river Elbe, approx. 40 km northwest of Dresden.The world's first 110 kV power line was inaugurated between Riesa and Lauchhammer in 1912....
for the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2002. There she won bronze medals in both relays, 4×50 m freestyle and 4×50 m medley.
Breakthrough
In April 2003 she joined Topzwemmen Amsterdam (TZA) to train as a full-time professional under the guidance of Fedor Hes. At the 2003 World Aquatics Championships2003 World Aquatics Championships
Barcelona, Spain was the host city of the X FINA World Aquatics Championships or the 10th FINA World Championships in Aquatics, which were held from July 12 until July 27, 2003....
it turned out to be a great decision as she reached two individual finals in the 50 m freestyle ending 7th, and in the 100 m freestyle finishing 8th. In Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
she also reached the final in all relay events but did not win a medal. In December she participated in the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2003 where she won her first international titles in the 50 m freestyle and the 4×50 m freestyle. In Dublin she also won silver in the 100 m freestyle and bronze in the 4×50 m medley. 2004 started off with the 2004 European Aquatics Championships in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. There Veldhuis won two silver medals in the 4×100 m freestyle, together with Chantal Groot, Annabel Kosten
Annabel Kosten
Annabel Kosten is a retired freestyle swimmer from the Netherlands, who won the bronze medal with the Dutch women's 4×100 m freestyle relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.-Career:...
and Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker is a butterfly and freestyle swimmer from Netherlands, who won the bronze medal with the Dutch women's 4×100 m freestyle relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She did so alongside Inge de Bruijn, Marleen Veldhuis and Chantal Groot...
, and individually in the 100 m freestyle. At the end of the week there was a bronze medal in the 4×100 m medley relay alongside Stefanie Luiken, Madelon Baans
Madelon Baans
Madelon Baans is a retired female breaststroke swimmer from the Netherlands, who competed for her native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia...
and Chantal Groot.
2004 Olympics
At the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
Veldhuis made her Olympic debut at the age of 25 and won the bronze medal in the 4×100 m freestyle, together with Inge de Bruijn
Inge de Bruijn
Inge de Bruijn is a Dutch former swimmer. She was a four-time Olympic champion and a former world record holder.-Biography:De Bruijn was born in Barendrecht, South Holland, and tried several sports before settling with swimming....
, Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker is a butterfly and freestyle swimmer from Netherlands, who won the bronze medal with the Dutch women's 4×100 m freestyle relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She did so alongside Inge de Bruijn, Marleen Veldhuis and Chantal Groot...
and Chantal Groot
Chantal Groot
Chantal Groot is a butterfly and freestyle swimmer from the Netherlands, who has represented her country in many international championships since 1999...
. Her individual results at the Olympics were slightly disappointing with the 9th place in the 50 m freestyle and the 11th place in the 100 m freestyle. She was the anchor lady in the 4×100 m medley, she took over from de Bruijn who swam the butterfly leg, finishing 6th.
Post-Athens season
In October 2004 she avenged her failed individual Olympic campaign by winning the gold medal in the 50 m freestyle at the 2004 FINA Short Course World Championships2004 FINA Short Course World Championships
The 7th FINA Short Course World Championships were held at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from October 7 through October 11, 2004.-Freestyle:-Backstroke:-Breaststroke:-Butterfly:-Individual:-Relay:-Metal Table:...
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
by beating Libby Lenton
Libby Lenton
Lisbeth "Libby" Constance Trickett OAM is a world record holding and Olympic gold medalist swimmer from Australia. She was a gold medallist at both the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Summer Olympics. She is the world record holder in the short-course 100 metres freestyle...
from Australia and Therese Alshammar
Therese Alshammar
Malin Therese Alshammar is a Swedish swimmer who has won three Olympic medals, 25 World Championship medals, and 43 European Championship medals. Standing at 1.80 m, she is a specialist of short races in freestyle and butterfly...
from Sweden. In the 100 m freestyle she received a bronze medal behind Lenton and Sweden's
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Josefin Lillhage
Josefin Lillhage
Josefin Lillhage is a freestyle swimmer from Sweden, who won the bronze medal in the 200 m freestyle at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Montreal. She represented her country four times at the Olympic Games: in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008.-Long course :-Short course :-External links:* * Swim...
. In December she successfully defended her 50 m freestyle at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2004. In Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
she also won gold in both 4×50 m freestyle and 4×50 m medley, there was a silver medal for Veldhuis in the 100 m freestyle behind French Malia Metella
Malia Metella
Malia Metella is a French Olympic freestyle swimmer from French Guiana. She swam for France at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, winning a silver medal in 2004 in the women's 50 free....
. She achieved her best long-course result so far by winning the silver medal in the 50 m freestyle at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships
2005 World Aquatics Championships
The 2005 World Aquatics Championships or the XI FINA World Championships were held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from July 16 to July 31, 2005...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, which was the only medal for her country during these World Championships. The European Short Course Swimming Championships 2005 were very successful for Veldhuis. In Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
she defended all her titles from the year before, but now she won also the gold medal in the 100 m freestyle.
2006
In April 2006 alongside Chantal Groot, Hinkelien SchreuderHinkelien Schreuder
Hinkelien Schreuder is a butterfly, freestyle and backstroke swimmer from The Netherlands, who also competed in the medley events...
and Inge Dekker, Veldhuis set a world record and won the gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle relay at the 2006 FINA Short Course World Championships
2006 FINA Short Course World Championships
The 8th FINA World Swimming Championships were held at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai, China from April 5 to April 9, 2006.-Medal table:-Freestyle:-Backstroke:-Breaststroke:-Butterfly:-Individual Medley:-Relays:...
. She failed to defend her 50 m freestyle title ending third. She finished second behind long-time rival Libby Lenton in the 100 m freestyle. In the summer she competed in the 2006 European Aquatics Championships, in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary where she ended second in the 100 m freestyle, behind German's
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Britta Steffen
Britta Steffen
Britta Steffen is a German swimmer who specializes in freestyle, who is the current holder of the world record in women's 50 and 100 metre freestyle....
who broke the world record, and third in the 50 m freestyle. In the 4×100 m freestyle relay she received a silver medal together with Chantal Groot, Inge Dekker and newcomer Ranomi Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle but also has potential in backstroke and butterfly events. As part of the Dutch team, she holds the world records in the 4×50 m and 4×200 m freestyle relays on short course , and 4×100 m freestyle relay on long course...
. After these Championships she split up with her coach, Fedor Hes, and started to work with Jacco Verhaeren
Jacco Verhaeren
Jacco Verhaeren is a Dutch swimming coach. He is currently the sporting director of the Dutch swimming team and the Nationaal Zweminstituut Eindhoven. He is best known for guiding Pieter van den Hoogenband and Inge de Bruijn to Olympic gold medals...
, who at the time was also working with triple Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband
Pieter van den Hoogenband
Pieter Cornelis Ruud Martijn van den Hoogenband is a Dutch former swimmer and a triple Olympic champion.-Personal life:...
. In Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
she successfully defended her 50 m and 100 m freestyle titles at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2006
European Short Course Swimming Championships 2006
The European Short Course Swimming Championships 2006 were held in Helsinki, Finland, from Thursday 7 to Sunday 10 December. The venue of the event was the aquatic center of Mäkelänrinteen uintikeskus, which last hosted a major event at the pre-Olympic 2000 European Aquatics Championships.Three...
, but lost the her relay titles when her team ended second in the 4×50 m freestyle and did not start in the 4×50 m medley. Just before this championships she had bettered Annemarie Verstappen's
Annemarie Verstappen
Anna Maria Theodora Petra Verstappen is a former freestyle swimmer from The Netherlands, who won a total number of three medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.In 1982 she became world champion in the 200 metres freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Ecuador...
long standing 200 m freestyle national record.
2007
In the spring of 2007 she took part in the 2007 World Aquatics Championships2007 World Aquatics Championships
The 2007 World Aquatics Championships or the XII FINA World Championships were held in Melbourne, Australia from 17 March to 1 April 2007...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia. There she won the silver medal behind Libby Lenton. Veldhuis won the bronze medal in the 50 m freestyle despite being the favourite before the final. Alongside Inge Dekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, and another young talent Femke Heemskerk
Femke Heemskerk
Frederike Johanna Maria "Femke" Heemskerk is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle, but also has a strong backstroke and medley....
, she won bronze in the 4×100 m freestyle relay. In November at the Berlin leg of the 2007 FINA Swimming World Cup
2007 FINA Swimming World Cup
The 2007 FINA Swimming World Cup occurred in autumn 2007. It is an international series of short course swimming competitions organised by FINA....
series, Veldhuis broke Swede Therese Alshammar
Therese Alshammar
Malin Therese Alshammar is a Swedish swimmer who has won three Olympic medals, 25 World Championship medals, and 43 European Championship medals. Standing at 1.80 m, she is a specialist of short races in freestyle and butterfly...
's 50 m freestyle world record. Alshammar's world record had stood at 23.59 since March 2000. The new standard is 23.58 seconds. One month later she qualified for the Beijing Olympics with personal bests in the 50 and 100 m freestyle during the Dutch Open Swim Cup 2007 and competed at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2007
European Short Course Swimming Championships 2007
The European Short Course Swimming Championships 2007 was the fifteenth edition of the European Short Course Swimming Championships, held in Debrecen, Hungary between 13–16 December...
. In Debrecen
Debrecen
Debrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :...
she won the 50 m freestyle for the fifth time in a row but lost her 100 m freestyle title to Britta Steffen due to a bad turn, finishing second. She also won gold in the 4×50 m freestyle. A few days after the tournament she was elected Dutch Sportswoman of the Year
Dutch Sportsman of the year
The Dutch Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year are chosen annually by Dutch athletes from a shortlist compiled by sports journalists. The elections are organized by the Dutch Olympic Committee.- Sporter of the Year :...
.
Spring 2008
In March 2008 at the 2008 European Aquatics Championships in Eindhoven, she won the 100 m and 50 m freestyle. In the latter event she broke the eight year old world record by since 2004 retired Inge de BruijnInge de Bruijn
Inge de Bruijn is a Dutch former swimmer. She was a four-time Olympic champion and a former world record holder.-Biography:De Bruijn was born in Barendrecht, South Holland, and tried several sports before settling with swimming....
. She also broke the 4×100 m freestyle relay world record, together with Inge Dekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Femke Heemskerk, and won the gold medal. The new standard is 3:33.62. Veldhuis also won a bronze medal in 4×100 m medley alongside Hinkelien Schreuder
Hinkelien Schreuder
Hinkelien Schreuder is a butterfly, freestyle and backstroke swimmer from The Netherlands, who also competed in the medley events...
, Jolijn van Valkengoed
Jolijn van Valkengoed
Jolijn van Valkengoed is a Dutch Swimmer, who is mainly specialized in breaststroke. She is currently training in her hometown Lelystad together with her younger brother Thijs. At the age of 24 she made her international debut at the European Championships 2006 in Budapest...
and Inge Dekker. In April's 2008 FINA Short Course World Championships
2008 FINA Short Course World Championships
The 9th FINA Swimming World Championships were held at the Manchester Evening News Arena, in Manchester, England April 9 – April 13 2008....
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
Veldhuis won four gold medals. Individually in the 50 m freestyle, lowering her own world record to 23.25, and the 100 m freestyle beating home favourite Francesca Halsall
Francesca Halsall
Francesca Jean Halsall is a British freestyle and butterfly swimmer.Halsall was the youngest member of the Team England swim squad at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne where she won silver medals in the 4×100 m freestyle and 4×100 m medley relays.She was a member of the European...
. Furthermore she won gold in the 4×200 m freestyle with Dekker, Heemskerk and Kromowidjojo, bettering the world record. With Hinkelien Schreuder replacing Kromowidjojo, the Dutch team also lowered their own world record in the 4×100 m freestyle.
2008 Summer Olympics
At the 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
she won the gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle relay together with Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker is a butterfly and freestyle swimmer from Netherlands, who won the bronze medal with the Dutch women's 4×100 m freestyle relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She did so alongside Inge de Bruijn, Marleen Veldhuis and Chantal Groot...
, Ranomi Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle but also has potential in backstroke and butterfly events. As part of the Dutch team, she holds the world records in the 4×50 m and 4×200 m freestyle relays on short course , and 4×100 m freestyle relay on long course...
and Femke Heemskerk
Femke Heemskerk
Frederike Johanna Maria "Femke" Heemskerk is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle, but also has a strong backstroke and medley....
, they swam just 0.14 seconds outside their own world record. Individually she did not achieve what she expected to, with the sixth place in the 100 m freestyle and the fifth in the 50 m freestyle.
Fall 2008
Veldhuis kicked-off her new season at the Swim Cup Eindhoven 2008. She qualified for the 50 m and 100 m butterfly at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships2009 World Aquatics Championships
The 2009 World Aquatics Championships or the XIII FINA World Championships were celebrated in Rome, Italy in 2009 from July 17 to August 2. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.Rome won...
, for the 50 m and 100 m freestyle she had already qualified at the Olympics. The next week, she won four gold medals at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2008
European Short Course Swimming Championships 2008
The European Short Course Swimming Championships 2008 took place in Rijeka, Croatia from Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 December 2008.-Medal table:-Medal summary:Legend:* WR = World record* ER = European record* CR = Championships record...
in Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, in the 50 m and 100 m freestyle and 4×50 m freestyle and 4×50 m medley. In the 100 m freestyle she lowered her own European record during the heats, she also finished fourth in the 100 m butterfly.
2009
During the Amsterdam Swim Cup Veldhuis broke the 50 meter butterfly world record and 50 meter freestyle world recordWorld record progression 50 metres freestyle
The first world record in the men's 50 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1976...
on the same day. At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships
2009 World Aquatics Championships
The 2009 World Aquatics Championships or the XIII FINA World Championships were celebrated in Rome, Italy in 2009 from July 17 to August 2. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.Rome won...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
she won the gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle alongside Inge Dekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Femke Heemskerk.
2011
In 2011 Veldhuis won a gold medal at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships2011 World Aquatics Championships
The 14th FINA World Championships were held at July 16–31, 2011 in Shanghai, China at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. The 2011 World Championships featured five aquatics disciplines: swimming, water polo, diving, open water, and synchronised swimming...
as part of the 4×100m freestyle relay alongside Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker
Inge Dekker is a butterfly and freestyle swimmer from Netherlands, who won the bronze medal with the Dutch women's 4×100 m freestyle relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She did so alongside Inge de Bruijn, Marleen Veldhuis and Chantal Groot...
, Ranomi Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle but also has potential in backstroke and butterfly events. As part of the Dutch team, she holds the world records in the 4×50 m and 4×200 m freestyle relays on short course , and 4×100 m freestyle relay on long course...
and Femke Heemskerk
Femke Heemskerk
Frederike Johanna Maria "Femke" Heemskerk is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle, but also has a strong backstroke and medley....
in a time of 3:33.96.
Personal bests
EWLINE
|
EWLINE
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
- List of Dutch records in swimming
- List of world records in swimming
- List of European records in swimming