Yvonne van Gennip
Yvonne van Gennip (1987)
Personal information
Born (1964-05-01) 1 May 1964 (age 59)
Haarlem, Netherlands
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Weight66 kg (146 lb)
Sport
Country Netherlands
SportSpeed skating
ClubIJsclub Haarlem
Turned pro1983
Medal record
Women's speed skating
Representing the  Netherlands
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1988 Calgary 1500 m
Gold medal – first place 1988 Calgary 3000 m
Gold medal – first place 1988 Calgary 5000 m
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1988 Skien Allround
Bronze medal – third place 1987 West Allis Allround
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Lake Placid Allround
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 1985 Groningen Allround
Silver medal – second place 1986 Geihus Allround
Silver medal – second place 1987 Groningen Allround
Bronze medal – third place 1988 Kongsberg Allround
Bronze medal – third place 1991 Sarajevo Allround
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 1982 Innsbruck Allround
Bronze medal – third place 1981 Elverum Allround

Yvonne Maria Therèse van Gennip (born 1 May 1964) is one of the most successful female Dutch all-round speed skaters. Her main success dates from the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, where she unexpectedly won three gold medals. She was the most successful athlete at the 1988 Winter Olympics, along with Matti Nykänen of Finland.[1]

After she had injured her foot, and had surgery less than two months before the games, the East German women were heavily favoured to win the distances over 500 meters. But Van Gennip smashed the world record by almost five seconds to win the 3000 metres, beat her personal record by almost 4 seconds to win the 1500 metres, and was almost seven seconds faster than her own world record time to win the 5000 metres as well.

Van Gennip participated in the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo and in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville as well, but did not win a medal. She won a silver medal in the 1988 World Speed Skating Championships, and bronze medals in the 1987 and 1989 World Championships.

Early life

Van Gennip was born on 1 May 1964 in Haarlem, the daughter of Johannes Gerardus van Gennip (22 April 1922 – 30 September 1999) and Reina Elisabeth Mettes (20 May 1924 – 15 March 2013).[2]

She married bank director Gert van Kuijk on 15 August 2002 in Zandvoort, the couple divorced in 2009. Since 2010 she has been in a relationship with Jaap de Groot, lead editor for sports for De Telegraaf.[3][4][5]

Records

Personal records

Personal records[6]
Women's speed skating
Event Result Date Location Notes
500 m 41.54 19 March 1987 Thialf, Heerenveen
1000 m 1:21.21 12 February 1989 Olympic Oval, Calgary
1500 m 2:00.68 27 February 1988 Olympic Oval, Calgary
3000 m 4:11.94 23 February 1988 Olympic Oval, Calgary
5000 m 7:14.13 28 February 1988 Olympic Oval, Calgary
10000 m 15:25.25 19 March 1988 Thialf, Heerenveen

World records

Distance Time Date Location
3000 m 4:16.85 19 March 1987 Thialf, Heerenveen
5000 m 7:20.35 20 March 1987 Thialf, Heerenveen
3000 m 4:11.94 23 February 1988 Olympic Oval, Calgary
5000 m 7:14.13 28 February 1988 Olympic Oval, Calgary

Achievements

Yvonne van Gennip at the World Sprint Championships in 1982; start of 500 m
Olympic Games
1500 m 11th Sarajevo YUG 9 Feb 1984
1000 m 6th Sarajevo YUG 13 Feb 1984
3000 m 5th Sarajevo YUG 15 Feb 1984
3000 m Gold Calgary CAN 23 Feb 1988
1500 m Gold Calgary CAN 27 Feb 1988
5000 m Gold Calgary CAN 28 Feb 1988
1500 m NF Albertville FRA 12 Feb 1992
3000 m 6th Albertville FRA 9 Feb 1992
5000 m NS Albertville FRA 17 Feb 1992
World Allround Championships
1984 12th Deventer NED 29 Jan. 1984
1985 4th Sarajevo YUG 10 Feb. 1985
1986 4th The Hague NED 9 Feb. 1986
1987 Bronze West Allis U.S. 8 Feb. 1987
1988 Silver Skien NOR 13 Mar. 1988
1989 Bronze Lake Placid U.S. 5 Feb. 1989
1991 5th Hamar NOR 3 Feb. 1991
World Sprint Championships
1982 4th Alkmaar NED 7 Feb. 1982
1983 25th Helsinki FIN 27 Feb. 1983
1984 14th Trondheim NOR 4 Mar. 1984
1987 10th Sainte Foy CAN 1 Feb. 1987
European Allround Championships
1984 11th Medeo URS 15 Jan. 1984
1985 Silver Groningen NED 13 Jan. 1985
1986 Silver Geithus NOR 12 Jan. 1986
1987 Silver Groningen NED 18 Jan. 1987
1988 Bronze Kongsberg NOR 17 Jan. 1988
1989 5th West Berlin — 15 Jan. 1989
1991 Bronze Sarajevo YUG 20 Jan. 1991
1992 4th Heerenveen NED 19 Jan. 1992
World Junior Allround Championships
1981 Bronze Elverum NOR 1 Mar. 1981
1982 Silver Innsbruck AUT 28 Feb. 1982

See also

References

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Yvonne van Gennip". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Haarlem – RK begraafplaats St. Barbara – - graf 1078816".
  3. ^ "Interview met Olympische kampioen Yvonne van Gennip".
  4. ^ "Tillo Behaeghe – Genealogische site – Persoonsblad".
  5. ^ "De Telegraaf-i [] Privé – Warme trouwdag voor ijskoningin".
  6. ^ "Yvonne van Gennip". speedskatingresults.com. Retrieved 6 October 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yvonne van Gennip.
Awards and achievements Preceded byIrene de Kok Dutch Sportswoman of the Year 1988 Succeeded byElly van Hulst


Olympic champions in women's 1500 m speed skating
Olympic champions in women's 3000 m speed skating
Olympic champions in women's 5000 m speed skating
Authority control databases
Categories