Biography
Started: She began playing wheelchair basketball in early 2017. (sitness.tdebv.nl, Sep 2017)
Reason: She was originally involved in non-Para handball before switching to wheelchair basketball. "After I had my operations due to cancer I tried to play handball again, but it wasn't possible. Then I was invited to a Paralympic talent day where I discovered the sport and was instantly hooked. I didn't want to play sport initially in a wheelchair as I felt it would limit me, but I found it super exciting and very cool." (sitness.tdebv.nl, Sep 2017)
Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (parawatcher.nl, 26 May 2023)
Milestones: She was part of the Dutch squad that won the Netherlands' first Paralympic gold medal in women's wheelchair basketball at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. She was the youngest member of the team in Tokyo at age 21 years and 113 days on the day of the gold medal match. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2024)
Awards: In September 2019 she received the inaugural Kei van Wijhe Award in Wijhe, Netherlands, for her contribution to wheelchair basketball. (sallandcentraal.nl, 11 Sep 2019)
Additional Info: FURTHER EDUCATION
In 2023 she began studying for a degree in commercial economics at the Johan Cruyff Academy in the Netherlands. (LinkedIn profile, 20 Dec 2023)
Frequently Asked Questions
Personal Details
GenderFemale
Birth DateMay 14, 2000
Place of ResidenceVORDEN
OccupationAthlete, Student
EducationCommunications, Marketing - Young Talent Academy, Nijmegen, NED
Languages SpokenDutch, English, German, Spanish
CoachGertjan van der Linden [national], NED
Highlights
| Rank | Event | Year | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paralympic Games | ||||
| 1 | Women | 2020 | Tokyo, JPN | |
| World Championships | ||||
| 1 | Women | 2022 | Dubai, UAE | |
| 1 | Women | 2018 | Hamburg, GER | |
| European Championships | ||||
| 1 | Women | 2023 | Rotterdam, NED | |
| 1 | Women | 2021 | Madrid, ESP | |
