Inge de Bruijn

                                        Name: Inge de Bruijn

Nickname: Inky

Residence: Eindhoven (Netherlands)

Date of birth: 24. august 1973

Place of birth: Barendrecht (Netherlands)

Height: 178 cm

Weight: 60 kg

Family: mother Rika, two sisters - Jakline (her twin) and Yvette, brother Matthijs

      Education:  Sports Management - Schoevers: Rotterdam,NED
      Trainde in 2003/2004 bij: Tualatin Hills Swim Club, Oregon, USA
      Lid geweest van:   De Dolfijn, ZPB, Nautilus en PSV
      Coaches: Paul Bergen (USA), Jacco Verhaeren, Fedor Hes, Erik van Westen, Jeff Sluyters
      Debut:  1991 for NED, European Championships, Athens 
      Favorite music:  R & B

      Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion.

 National titles
NWK / NK Korte Baan (15)
100 fly     1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001
100 free  1999
50 free    1991,1993, 1994, 1999
50 back  1993
50 fly       1993, 1999

 Summer Nationals (LC) (26)
100 fly    1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000
100 free 1993, 1998, 1999
200 free 1999
50 free    1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,  2003
50 back  1993
50 fly      1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003

 Sprintkampioenschappen (7)
50 fly      1993, 1995, 1996
50 free   1995, 1996, 1998
50 back  1995
 

 Swimming history

1999, 2000 and 2001 have been great years for Inge de Bruijn. For the first time, her name appeared on the world record lists, thanks to her 26.54 at the 50 fly during the Dutch Nationals in Amersfoort. But she made history swimming eight world records between May and July 2000. Never before a swimmer had set so many Word Records in four different events (50 and 100 butterfly, 50 and 100 freestyle) in such a short time.
The greatest Dutch swimmer ever earned two gold medals at the Worldchampionships in Barcelona 2003 (50 fly and 50 free). At the Olympics in Athens she retained her title in 50 freestyle and had a silver medal in the 100 free and two bronze medals in the 100 fly and as a member of the Dutch 400 metres freestyle relayteam.

In Holland she the best Olympic athlete ever with 4 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals.

In Sydney she ruled her events winning the 100 fly, and 50 and 100 freestyle, bettering her World Records once again. She also anchored the Dutch team to a silver medal at the 4x100 freestyle relay and became the most successful female swimmer at the Olympic Games, equaling the success of Rie Mastenbroek who ruled the Games in Berlin.
Swimming World chose De Bruijn as the best swimmer of 2000.

The career of De Bruijn shows many ups and an occasional down. In 1996 she could go to the Olympics in Atlanta, but decided to watch the Games at home on tv, because she wasn’t motivated enough. After the Olympics, she decided to go to the USA where she met coach Paul Bergen. He was the right coach for her, Bergen made her the international star she is today.

A gold medal at the World Championships in long course, was the only thing missing for Inge de Bruijn. After an extensive time off, she started training again in February 2001. She still ruled the pool and won the 50 and 100 freestyle and 50 butterfly in Fukuoka.

Until 2002, she tapered for big meets with the Philips team of Jacco Verhaeren in Eindhoven. But in that year, her motivational problems forced them to end their cooperation. She was on her own again after Bergen also decided to split with her. The critics told her not to go to Barcelona, but she was determined to show she was still the best swimmer of the world. During the World Championships in 2003, she won both the 50 butterfly and the 50 freestyle.

She returned to the hard regime of Paul Bergen to prepare for the Athens Olympics in October 2003. Those months became the toughest in her career, but Inky was back at the Amsterdam Swim Cup in April where she clocked 54.09 at the 100 freestyle, her fastest time since Sydney.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens she upheld her gold medal in the 50 m free, as well as taking silver in the 100 m freestyle, and two bronze: one in the 100 m butterfly and another with the rest of the Dutch women´s swim team in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay.

In March 2007, Inge de Bruijn announced her retirement from competitive swimming. :-( 

 Records
 

 World record
Long Course
50 free  0.24.13   (22.09.2000 Sydney)
100 fly  0.56.61    (17.09.2000 Sydney)
 

 European record
Long Course
50 free     0.24.13    (22.09.2000 Sydney)
100 free  0.53.77    (20.09.2000 Sydney)
100 fly    0.56.61      (17.09.2000 Sydney)

 Dutch record
Short Course
50 free      0.23.89   (16.12.2001 Antwerpen)
100 free   0.52.65    (14.09.2000 Sydney)
50 fly        0.25.64x  (26.05.2000 Sheffield)
100 fly     0.56.61x  (17.09.2000 Sydney)
Long Course
50 free     0.24.13    (22.09.2000 Sydney)
100 free  0.53.77    (20.09.2000 Sydney)
50 fly       0.25.64     (26.05.2000 Sheffield)
100 fly    0.56.61      (17.09.2000 Sydney)
 

 Fastest relay splits

Short Course
50 fly      0.25.12  (EK korte baan 2001 Antwerpen)
100 fly    0.58.28  (WK korte baan 1999 Hong Kong)
50 free    0.24.01  (EK korte baan 2001 Antwerpen)
100 free  0.53.15  (WK korte baan 1999 Hong Kong)

Long Course
50 free    0.24.82  (Braz.Winterkampioenschappen 2000 Rio de Janeiro)
100 free  0.53.37  (OS 2000 Athene)
100 fly     0.58.69  (Braz.Winterkampioenschappen 2000 Rio de Janeiro)
 

 Best times

 50 backstroke  (25 m SC)  0.29.03   NK Sprint 1998, Emmen; startzwemster
100 butterfly   (25 m SC)    0.56.61x OS 2000, Sydney; final
200 butterfly   (25 m SC)    2.17.05   1993
 50 butterfly   (25 m SC)     0.26.09   EK korte baan 1998, Sheffield; final
100 freestyle   (25 m SC)    0.52.65   EK korte baan 2001, Antwerpen; final
 50 freestyle   (25 m SC)     0.23.89   EK korte baan 2001, Antwerpen; final
 50 backstroke  (50 m LC)  0.29.67   NK 1999, Amersfoort; final
100 butterfly   (50 m LC)    0.56.61   OS 2000, Sydney; final
 50 butterfly   (50 m LC)     0.25.64   Speedo Super Grand Prix 2000, Sheffield; final
100 freestyle   (50 m LC)    0.53.77   OS 2000, Sydney; halve final
200 freestyle   (50 m LC)    2.02.76   NK 1999, Amersfoort; final
 50 freestyle   (50 m LC)     0.24.13   OS 2000, Sydney; halve final
 

 Progression (LC)

               100 fly     50 free    100 free               
1983     1.23.46         -                    -
1984           -                 -                    -
1985           -                 -                    -
1986     1.09.08         -             1.01.71
1987     1.04.45    0.26.67    0.58.88
1988     1.03.04    0.26.56    1.01.29
1989     1.03.30    0.26.76    0.58.98
1990     1.00.57    0.26.41    0.56.60
1991      1.00.94    0.25.84    0.56.58
1992     1.01.02    0.25.70    0.56.60
1993     1.00.21    0.25.86    0.56.99
1994     1.01.14    0.26.00    0.57.88
1995     1.01.26    0.25.95    0.58.10
1996     1.04.59    0.26.43      -
1997     1.00.64    0.26.67    0.56.69
1998     0.59.28    0.25.01     0.55.62
1999     0.58.49    0.24.84    0.54.79
2000   0.56.61    0.24.13     0.53.77
2001    0.58.38    0.24.45    0.54.18
2002    0.58.85    0.24.99    0.55.27
2003          -            0.24.47    0.55.97
2004     0.57.50   0.24.56    0.54.06