The Netherlands

Abstract

When looking back at the history of running and athletics in the Netherlands, perhaps a Dutch woman comes to mind. She was the athlete of the last century and foreign journalists frequently referred to her as ‘the flying Dutchman’. In the sports community, both national and international, Fanny Blankers-Koen (1918–2004) is widely valued for her elite performances and her contribution to athletics. Remarkably, especially in the 1940s and 1950s, was the fact that she was elite athlete, housewife and mother of two. This situation led to extraordinary situations; for example, breastfeeding her baby during breaks in athletics championships. Blankers-Koen broke many world records in athletics. Her most memorable performance undoubtedly was the winning of four gold medals during the Olympic Games in London in 1948. This outstanding performance made her the first woman in Olympic history to win four gold medals during one Olympic Games (Kooman, 2011).¹ Even more remarkable was the fact that ‘the female Jesse Owens’ was already confident after winning two gold medals during these Games and was already making plans to return to the Netherlands as she missed her family intensely.