Dutch Athletics Team
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Dutch Athletics Team 23rd European Athletics Junior Championships Eskilstuna (SWE) | July 16 - 19, 2015 1 Royal Dutch Athletics Federation / Atletiekunie P.O. Box 60100 6800 JC Arnhem The Netherlands President: Theo Hoex General Secretary: Jan Willem Landré Phone: +31 (0)26 483 48 00 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.atletiekunie.nl @atletiekunie, @atletieklive facebook.com/Atletiekunie 2 Contents Additional info Dutch Athletes 4 Introduction 5 A word with Tony van Diepen 6 Timetable 8 Biographies 12 - Boys 12 - Girls 21 - Staff 33 History and Statistics 36 - Combined Events Calculator 36 - Dutch Medallists in European Junior Championships, 1970-2013 37 - All Dutch Performances in European Junior Championships, 1970-2013 38 - Dutch and European Junior Records 45 Additional Information & Production 47 3 Additional info Dutch Athletes Several Dutch Athletes can be found on the web. Some have their own websites, but many of them you can also follow via their Twitter account. Boys Website Twitter account Rodrigo Willy Broer www.rwbroer.nl Ivar Moinat @IvarMoinat Tony van Diepen www.tonyvandiepen.com @Tony2Laps Nick Smidt www.nicksmidt.nl @SporterNick www.loopacademie.nl (team) Koen van der Wijst www.koenvanderwijst.nl Loek van Zevenbergen www.trifa.nl (team) @Loekv_Z Sybren Blok @SybrenOmar Girls Website Twitter account Eva Hovenkamp @EvaHovenkamp Marijke Boogerd www.marijkeboogerd.nl Elisabeth Paulina @ElizzPaulina Inge Drost www.inge-drost.nl Linda Hurkmans @LindaHurkmansx Dominique Esselaar @DominiqueE176 Killiana Heijmans @Killiana_ Lianne van Krieken @lccfvk Nargelis Statia @NargelisStatia Others Website Twitter account Atletiekunie www.atletiekunie.nl @Atletiekunie @Atletieklive European Athletics www.european-athletics.org @EuroAthletics 4 Introduction The Royal Dutch Athletics Federation proudly presents its delegation for the European Athletics Junior Championships in Eskilstuna, Sweden. 21 Dutch athletes will celebrate the 23rd anniversary of this tournament; nine young men and twelve young women. In recent history, Dutch Athletics has celebrated significant successes at international tournaments. For example, 44 medals were won in total in 22 editions of these same championships, but no fewer than eight of those came in the last two championships alone. A highlight two years ago was the gold medal for long distance runner Jip Vastenburg, who last week followed up with the European U23 title in Tallinn. Four years ago in that same Estonian city, Dafne Schippers won the European Junior crown in the heptathlon, and sprint team mate Jamile Samuel won silver in both the 100 and 200 meters. Ever since their inception in 1970, the European U23 Championships have proven a strong indicator of success on even bigger stages. Many of the recent Dutch Olympic, World and European internationals have competed in this tournament. Champions like Dafne Schippers, Rutger Smith, and Bram Som are only a few of the examples. More than half of the 2013 Junior team made the U23 team this year (Nadine Visser scoring a medal just like Vastenburg). This year, four members of the Dutch Junior team are ranked in the top-8 of the European rankings. Naming medal contenders is always risky and unfair, but both Stan Niesten (5000 meters) and Veerle Bakker (steeple chase) are ranked second in their events. One athlete, Tony van Diepen, returns to these Championships two years after Rieti. The team contains a number of athletes from events where Dutch Athletics has been very successful in recent years, like sprinting and pole vault. More information about all Dutch participants in these championships can be found in this booklet, alongside statistical information, an interview with Tony van Diepen, and more. The best of luck to all participants in this tournament, and to the organizers! This booklet is dedicated to Ton de Kleijn. Among many things, our dear friend was one of the main Atletiekunie statisticians, a dedicated club- and federation volunteer, and chief editor of these Championship Team Booklets for the past ten years. Ton suddenly passed away in March of 2015 - Rest in Peace, Nest(sn)or! 5 A word with … Tony van Diepen Tony van Diepen is one of the most accomplished members of the Dutch Athletics Team in Eskilstuna. Last year he made the Semi-finals at the IAAF World Junior Championships and there in Eugene he was the fourth best European of his year. The man from Alkmaar (nowadays living at the National Training Centre Papendal), is also one of only two Dutch athletes who competed at the Euro Junior Championships two years ago in Rieti (together with Pole Vaulter Dominique Esselaar). Although a great fan of the 800 meters, he excelled this year over 400 meters by breaking the Dutch junior indoor record. Question: This year started fabulous of course with the 47.78 indoor time you ran in Apeldoorn. How was it to break a record of the illustrious Olympian and former European Champion Bram Som? Tony: It was amazing to break that record. I was not a very experienced 400 meter runner, but I knew I was a pacey type of a 800 meter runner. So I knew I theoretically could do a fast 400, I just never ran that distance. So when I ran the heats of the nationals (48.4), I was nervous about the starting block, and I started easy because I did not know what I was about to get into. In the finals I knew what I was doing. So I started at full speed and tried to hold on to it as long as possible. The clock stopped almost a second under the national record of former Olympian and current professional pacemaker, Bram Som. Question: Early in the outdoor season, you also got to start in the main 800 meter race at the international FBK Games in Hengelo. Did that mean nerves, or was it mainly fun? Tony: When I heard I could start in the 800m race, I was very psyched. But I knew I would not be in very great shape because that needed to be so in Eskilstuna two months later. So the race itself was not very good, and I fell behind in the last 200 meters. But I enjoyed participating in a race this great! Question: In a year full of highlights already, you made the Dutch national 4x400 meter team. Can you tell us about securing promotion to the Super Leauge of the European Athletics Championships? Tony: It was an amazing feeling. We had a couple of setbacks in the first day and it looked like we would be fighting to not relegate. On the second day, we stepped up our game, caught up to the leaders, and came third with promotion the Super League! By the time I got to run in the 4x400 meters, we were already promoted. I was nevertheless very positive about my 4x400 performance with a split of 47low, holding on to my position. It was also great to see the team support one another. It motivated everyone that there was a great atmosphere in the team. I believe that boosted the performances of everyone. Question: You have run relays before. Do those give you extra motivation, perhaps even extra speed? Tony: So far I only ran three 4x400 and two 4x100 meters in my career, but it builds up team spirit and you motivate each other. Question: You excel in both the 400 and 800 meters. Which is your favourite distance, and how difficult is that combination? Tony: I think the 800 is my favourite, because it is the most complete event. I am a very pacy type of 800 meter runner, meaning that I also have a big ‘engine’ for a 400 meter runner. I am too slow for the 6 200 meters and the 1500 meters is like a nightmare for me. I guess you can call me a 600 meter runner. I do want to mention that there was once this double gold medal Olympian from Cuba, Alberto Juantorena, who won gold in both the 400 and 800 meters at the Olympics in Montreal, 1976. Question: What appeals you so much in the 800 meters? Tony: What appeals to me is that you need everything; speed, great lactate clearing ability, endurance, and tactical insight. So no race is the same and almost no runner in the 800 meters is the same. It is such a diverse distance and I love it. Question: You train together with athletes like Jorian Damen, and went to training camp with Richard Douma. One week before your own race, how was it to see their great successes by reaching the Final of the World Student Games and the European U23 Championships, respectively? Tony: My training mate Jorian did a great job at the WSG, improving his personal best and reaching the final even as he was placed 23rd going into the tournament. We knew it was to happen because he was a beast on the training track. He just couldn't get into a good race. This motivated me to also surprise at Eskilstuna! As for Richard we could see at training camp that he was going to improve big time this season. Question: You are also part of the Dutch Athletics AA Drink Talent Team. How much does support like that mean to you? Tony: For me, that support means the difference between working or being a full time athlete! Since AA Drink started sponsoring me, I started a full-time athlete career, and I am very thankful for that. Question: Can you tell us a bit about your very athletic family, and is that one of the secrets to your success? Tony: My parents are also runners. My mom won silver three times at the 1500 meter nationals. My dad was more of a soccer player at first, but when he started running he did well.