Growing up you played a lot of hockey and now you are a successful rower? How did this happen?
“My mother and sisters all rowed so it was in my genes. When I started at TU Delft I joined Laga. I liked the atmosphere around rowing – doing an outdoor sport, working with a motivated group, and training hard.”
When did you discover that you had talent?
“My second year at Laga was during Covid and the rules meant that we could only row in single boats. That went so well that I could compete in the National Championship in my third year and was then selected for the Netherlands’ under 23 team.
You became a top athlete in one go. Do you miss your student life?
“It can be hard as you want to do everything. But if you see that you are fitter and that your performance pays off, it is worth it. You then realise that an evening in a bar is not that special anymore.”
‘If the group dynamics are good, you are motivated’
What are your studying and sporting lives like and how do you combine the two?
“Since I moved to Amsterdam last year to row, it’s harder. It’s a long way to Delft, and is even bigger if we are abroad at training camps or for competitions. I also miss studying with my study mates. I often use the library at the Free University of Amsterdam, but the students there are working on completely different things.”
You will go to Paris as a reserve. What does that entail?
“It means that we are on standby for everything. We can compete in a pair, a four or an eight if needed.”
How do you stay motivated to give your all every day?
“I dream of the world’s top competition, the Olympic Games. As that goal gets closer and closer, it becomes an extra motivation to give even more of yourself. Apart from that, our group that is working towards the Games is really nice. I know from hockey that the social aspect is hugely important. If the group dynamics are good, you are motivated.”
And what about post-‘Paris’?
“I would like to row in more competitions for Laga. Another top event on my list is the Varsity, the most important competition in student rowing. I would also like to take the next step in professional rowing and grow from a reserve to a fixed position. But after the Games, I will first study again.”
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