Skip to main content

Netherlands at the Olympics - 2008 and Beyond

By

As I type this there are 3 days, 18hrs, 33 mins, and 57 seconds left before the start of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

In 2008 the Netherlands won 16 medals. 7 Gold, 5 Silver, and 4 Bronze.

The Golds came from; Women's Cycling Track Individual Points Race (figures), Equestrian Dressage Individual, Women's Field Hockey, Women's Lightweight Rowing, Men's Marathon Swimming, Women's Freestyle Relay Swimming, and Women's Water Polo. 

Silvers; Women's Judo -57KG, (Sailing) Women's 2 person Dingh and Women's Keelboat, Equestrian Dressage Team, and Women's 8 rowing.

Bronze; All came in Judo different weight classes. 2 men's and 2 women's. 

What do I take from all those medals? Dutch women kick butt. I would say at least 75% of the medals won were won on women's sports. Nice. They were 12th in the total medal count that year. According to the official BBC website, it looks like around 182 athletes will be competing in sports including; rowing, judo, field hockey, beach volleyball mens and womens (! I'll be watching), various track and field events, cycling, equestrian, swimming, shooting, sailing, tennis, table tennis, gymnastics, taekwondo, archery, badminton, and fencing. We'll see if they can improve upon their Beijing performance. 

The BBC has put together a nice page detailing all the athletes for each country and their sports. You can see it here. BBC says there are 4 athletes to 'Watch'. 

1) Lobke Berkhout ; Women's sailing. 5 time world champion but has yet to win an olympic medal
2) Teun De Nooijer ; Men's Field Hockey, team leader.
3) Anky Van Grunsven ; 'Queen' of Dressage, looking to claim a 4th straight gold. 
4) Marianne Vos ; Women's cycling. She has previously won a medal in every other cycling event except for Road Cycling. 

[For my own enjoyment] I'll be watching these 3 beach volleyball teams as well. Beach volleyball begins Saturday July 28th.  
1) Mens; Reinder Nummerdor and Rich Schuil
2) Womens; Sanne Keizer and Madelein Meppelink
3) Womens; Sophie Gestel and Marleen Iersel

Awesome names. Not boring like John Smith.
3 days, 18hrs, 6 minutes, 59 seconds.....
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

de Vries, Hans de Vries. Almost.

By
In 1967 THE James Bond (Sean Connery) decided to step away from the world of James Bond films. EOS studios thus had to find a replacement. It came down to 5 men. 2 Brits, an American, a Australian, and a Dutchman. John Richardson, Anthony Rogers, Robert Campbell, George Lazenby, and Hans de Vries. None of those names ring a bell? George Lazenby won the part for the 6th Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. A movie that has been lauded both as the worst and one of the best Bond films in the franchise. If you haven't seen it, you should. It was the Bond film that 'Breaks the Fourth Wall', Bond gets married, wears a kilt, and goes skiing. But the reason for this post is instead of this; (Yes, THAT is James Bond) We could of had this. Improvement? Probably not. He looks a wee bit angry. Plus, no one watches OHMSS anyway. So, did de Vries have a movie career after Bond? Ha, no. The only notable movie rolls I can find for him were pre bond. And that was ...
Post a Comment
Read more

"My Knitted Boyfriend"

By
Yes. You read that correctly. And no, I am not buying one. I used to have my dog sleep on my bed when I was little but that was when I was 7. Noortje de Keijzer  (her website) a Dutch designer and illustrator has designed a life-sized, yes life size, knitted pillow in the shape of a man. Or a boyfriend. Whichever you prefer.   Keijzer's " My Knitted Boyfriend " (click this link. It shows the different accessories and the book that accompies your 'man') project consists of two different oversized cushions, "Artur" (white guy with brown hair) and "Steve (darker guy with black hair)." The pillows come with a number of accessories, including knitted moustaches, glasses, watches, bow-ties, and even tattoos. There's also an illustrated book to show you what you can do with your knitted companion.   Keijzer had her mother and grandmother hand-knit the body pillow. (Slave labor?, I'm still wondering why she couldn'...
2 comments
Read more

Why Orange?

By
( There was a picture of a orange shirt here but now it doesn't seem to be working ) Have you ever wondered why the Dutch National Soccer team wears the color orange when the colors on their flag are red, white, and blue? The simple answer is that orange is the color of the Dutch Royal Family which hails from the House of Orange. The original orange (William I of Orange also know as William the Silent) organized the Dutch revolt from Spain. Unlike other Royal houses that were eliminated or viewed with contempt by the populace; The Dutch Royal House are still very popular in the Netherlands. The color orange has come to signify the country and therefore a national pride. On royal birthdays the tricolor flag is flown with an orange pennant above. Each year on April 30th, Amsterdam and the entire country turn orange. Revelers sing "Oranje boven, orangje boven. Leve the koningin!" (Orange on top, Orange on top. Long live the Queen!) The Soccer team's nickname is Oranje wh...
Post a Comment
Read more