Dutch Parathletics Team

4th IPC Athletics World Championships Doha | October 22-31, 2015

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

facebook.com/Atletiekunie

Contents

Additional info Dutch athletes 4

Introduction 5

A word with Fleur Jong & Margriet van den Broek 6

Timetable 8

Biographies 12

- Men 12 - Women 18 - Staff 30

History and Statistics 32 - Dutch medallists at IPC World Championships, 1998 - 2013 32 - All Dutch performances at the Paralympics and World Championships 1998 - 2013 33 - Dutch and World Records 35

Additional Information 37

Production 37

Official Suppliers Dutch Parathletics Team

The Royal Dutch Athletics Federation is very happy about their agreement with Otto Bock and Frank Jol as official suppliers of the Dutch Parathletics Team. This collaboration further professionalizes Dutch parathletes. Otto Bock is a leading company in the field of orthopaedic products, including supply of prosthetics for disabled athletes. With Otto Bock as a supplier of high quality materials and Frank Jol as a specialist in the development of sports, leisure and high activity prostheses, the Dutch parathletes have a unique combination that guarantees top quality sports prosthetics. Frank Jol, renowned orthopaedic instrument maker, recently agreed with national sports authority NOC*NSF to monthly availability for adjustments of the prostheses of the parathletes. Frank Jol already supplies eighty percent of the Paralympic selection with prosthesis.

Guido Bonsen, Head Coach of the Dutch Parathletics Team is delighted with the partnership agreement: "With this material we can improve even further. It gives the athletes a chance to maintain or create a connection to the world’s best."

Additional info Dutch Parathletes

Dutch Parathletes can be found on several places on the web. Some of course have their own websites, but many of them you can also follow on their Twitter account.

Men

Website Twitter account Jelmar Bos @jelmarbos Ronald Hertog www.Ronald-Hertog.nl @ronaldhertog Stefan Rusch www.stefanrusch.nl @stefan_rusch Kenny van Weeghel www.kennyvanweeghel.nl @kennyvanweeghel Ranki Oberoi @rankioberoi

Women

Website Twitter account Marlou van Rhijn www.marlouvanrhijn.nl @MLvanRhijn Iris Pruysen www.irispruysen.nl @IrisPruysen Marlène van @marlenev.gansewinkel Gansewinkel www.mvangansewinkel.nl Amy Siemons www.amysiemons.nl @Racing_amy Desiree Vranken www.desireevranken.com @desireevranken Margriet van den Broek @margrietvdbroek Nienke Timmer @TimmerNienke Fleur Jong @FleurJong_ Ingrid van Kranen @blindwerpen Lara Baars @larabaars Marianne Verdonk marianne.g-atletiek.nl

Others

Website Twitter account Atletiekunie www.atletiekunie.nl @Atletiekunie Dutch Parathletics Team www.dutchparathleticsteam.nl Arno Mul @arnomul Guido Bonsen @BondscoachDPT Frank Jol www.frankjol.nl @frankjol Ursula Kroder @ursulakroder Helene Wiesenhaan @HelenePHOTO

Introduction

Track and Field Friends,

With the Paralympic Games on the horizon, the IPC World Championships in Doha promise to be an important and interesting tournament. Not only can world titles be won, the Worlds are also the first opportunity for athletes to qualify for Rio 2016. which is therefore also larger than ever (9 These World Championships will show the people). development of Dutch Parathletics, a progression that will be measured against All in all, major steps were taken within and worldwide competition in Doha. One year outside the team. As Head Coach, I am very before the Paralympic Games, this is an eager to see what the results of the team important benchmark for the position and will be in Doha. In addition, I hope that the course of the Dutch team. IPC WC Doha 2015 will take another step forward compared to the last Worlds in In that light, the size of the team is indeed Lyon. Paralympic sports are very much in an the very first success, as never before has upward trajectory, in number of participants the Dutch delegation been this large. The as well as competitive level. I hope for a selection of 18 athletes (12 women and 6 great tournament with exciting competitions, men) gives a first indication of a successful great performances, and inspiring stories. scouting- and development system. This is a system in which, at National Sports Centre We wish everybody - athletes, support staff, Papendal, a talent program runs alongside a spectators, and organization - fantastic full-time program. World Championships. We will do our very At least as important is that many talents best to show the ORANGE as much as established their base at local clubs. More possible. and more clubs are open to, and experience, Parathletic sports. That development is reflected in this team, as seven athletes claimed their World Championships ticket via talent days, club training, and the Papendal talent program.

Besides the new and upcoming talent, we have many people in this team who are ranked in the top-5 of the world in their events, and who will look for medals at these World Championships. Keep in mind that Gold and Silver medals mean direct qualification for Rio.

In total the 18 athletes are competing in 41 events. Between heats, semi-finals, and finals, the number of appearances can top 50. That is a big job for the support team, Guido Bonsen Head Coach, Dutch Parathletics Team

A word with ... Fleur Jong & Margriet van den Broek

At 19 and 41 years of age, Fleur Jong and Margriet van den Broek are respectively the youngest and second-oldest members of the Dutch Parathletics delegation in Doha. They nevertheless have several things in common, like becoming full-time athletes this year, and sharing a room when training at the Papendal National Sports Centre.

Question: You both became full-time control when I am running. Training keeps athletes this year, can you tell us how me quite busy but I am still able to meet up you made that decision after finishing with friends and family during the week. school (Fleur) and giving up your job (Margriet)? Margriet: I already trained full-time in addition to my work. The number of Fleur: At the same time that I began with sessions has not increased, but it is spread my final year at school, I started with out much better over the week, and I do not athletics. Graduating was of course priority, train in the evening anymore. I get much but training was fun and I made good more rest, and that feels a lot better. When I progress. Before I knew it, making it to Rio still worked as well, I had very little time for became a realistic goal. So I decided to just hobbies and friends. I am glad that I have a go for it after my graduation and train full bit more time to see friends and do things time because this is not just an opportunity other than sports. you get every day.

Margriet: I have taken unpaid leave, in first Question: How is it to share a room at instance for half a year. Depending on the Papendal? results at the World Championships, I have to make new arrangements with my Fleur: It is very nice, and we got to know employer. I really want to go to the each other very well. We are usually with Paralympic Games in Rio. That is what I three girls, us and Iris (Pruysen, the current want, and everything is secondary to that. world champion in long jump). So as you Working part-time while training full-time can guess, it is a real girls room. turned out too taxing and that is why I What makes it special is that we are from decided to stop working temporarily. I do not completely different generations. We only want to have the feeling afterwards that I did rarely realize that, like when it comes to our not do everything I could to reach my goal. idols from when we were young. That can And when you get a chance to become a cause funny conversations sometimes. I full-time athlete, you can’t do anything think it’s great! different than use that as best you can. Margriet: We are of course from a very different age. I am of the WHAM! Question: How is it working out for you? Generation, and Fleur from K3. I think it is Did you increase your training a lot? And is fantastic, a great mix. it enough to keep you busy or do you do hobbies, courses, or part-time work as well?

Fleur: My training definitely increased, I went from four or five times a week to ten times a week. And so far so good, I feel that I am getting stronger and better able to keep

Question: What would you say are the Question: Fleur, you train with Guido similarities and differences between the two Bonsen, and Margriet, with Arno Mul. Can of you? you tell me what their strengths are, and what you like about working with them? Fleur: We both got into athletics through a Paralympic talent day. I think we both picked Fleur: Guido can explain in a very clear way up the athletics virus pretty fast, Margriet as what you did wrong and then tell how it soon as she sat in her wheeler and I when I would be better. He also approaches ran on blades. We both love to be outside everything we do step by step. In that way on the track. Our mutual goal now is Rio. you are just busy with improving one or two things at the time instead of ten. When you Margriet: We both also started a short time did well, you go on to the next aspect and ago, and this is our first real, big try and improve that. tournament. The main difference is that I like to do as many distances as possible, and at Margriet: I experience our cooperation as the World Championships my program very pleasant. Arno is very direct and clear, varies from 100 meters to five kilometers. so you know what you have to do and why. I Fleur is a real sprinter, her focus is on the always enjoy going to training because the 100 and 200 meters. sessions are very varied. Arno is always open to my ideas, and has taught me the technique of wheeling very quickly. So he Question: Are there things you have can teach new skills very well. learned, or can learn, from each other?

Fleur: Margriet usually knows exactly what Question: What are your thoughts going she wants, like with the distances she wants into Doha? How will it be to make your to do. Sometimes she wants too much but I World Championships Debut (Fleur), and like the confidence she has. what will be different from the Euros in Swansea (Margriet)? Margriet: Fleur often has a good handle on the things around the sports, and figures out Fleur: This whole season has been one big how things work. I have a tendency to debut for me, going to Doha is just my postpone those kinds of things. biggest debut of the season. I am excited as everything is getting closer and I am getting myself ready. I want to be at my best when I Question: Despite your different events, is step on the track in orange. there anything you can do together in training? Margriet: I went to Swansea with an open mind. I was happy to have qualified for the Fleur: Not really. It is always nice to be out Euros and simply wanted to ride as fast as I on the track with everybody but there is not could. really something we can do together in For Doha I have goals in addition to riding training. We just try to support each other fast. I am going to do six different distances. when we see it’s getting tough. The 400 and 800 meters are most important to me, and in those events I want to finish as Margriet: The training is indeed too different high as possible. Otherwise my goal is to for that. We do like to hear from each other reach as many finals as possible, and in the what is going on, for example around new final, anything can happen. developments in equipment.

Question: There is a great group going to Question: Can you tell us more about your Doha, and the Dutch have a good aspirations beyond Doha, for example Rio Parathletic tradition. Do you have a specific and/or further championships/results? idol in your sport, or somebody you look up to or want to emulate (follow)? Fleur: The main goal is of course to qualify for Rio and make it to the team. If I do I, I Fleur: Not particularly in athletics, but in want to be at least in the finals of the 100 general I admire Amy Purdy. A big part of and 200m. I want to get faster every time I that has to do with her amazing am on the track! performances at Dancing with the Stars. I love dancing so seeing her dance like she Margriet: When I started wheeling Rio was did on her prosthetic legs was amazing. She my long term goal. It is still my objective, but went on doing everything she wanted in her not my final goal. I would love to continue life, I admire that. with wheeling after Rio, but combine track (middle and long distances) with marathons. Margriet: Marcel Hug rides the distances Participating in Rio is also no longer the that I prefer as well (400 meters through main goal that it was. I want to go for marathon) and he is very good at it. I think medals! he has a beautiful, but also very good technique. He rides extremely fast, but it always looks so easy. I would like to ride like that.

Timetable All times local. Until October 25, 10:00 Doha = 09:00 Holland (from Oct.25, two hour difference)

Day 1: Thursday, October 22