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Netherlands at the Olympics - 2008 and Beyond

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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.....
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