- Yvonne Hijgenaar
Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Yvonne Hijgenaar
fullname = Yvonne Hijgenaar
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1980|5|15
country = NED
height =
weight =
currentteam =
discipline = Track
role = Rider
ridertype =
amateurteams =
amateuryears =
proyears =
proteams =
majorwins =
updated = September 7, 2008Yvonne Hijgenaar (born May 15, 1980 in
Alkmaar ) is a Dutchracing cyclist and former nationalspeed skater .Background
Hijgenaar is a former
speed skater who for two years was in theNetherlands national team. ["Sportief Alkmaar, October 2007 ] In 2001 she switched from skating totrack cycling after finding she rode so much better than she skated that she could often ride by male riders in training. ["Sportief Alkmaar, October 2007 ] When her former skating team-mates made technical advances better than she could, she stayed permanently in cycling."When I look at the number of national championships, world championships and an Olympic Games that I've ridden, I am happy with my choice," she said. ["Sportief Alkmaar, October 2007 ]Olympic Games
Hijgenaar represented the Netherlands at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens where she took part in the individual sprint as well as the 500 metres time trial. She did not impress in the individual sprint where she finished 11th. However, her 500 metres time trial time of 34.532 (52.125 km/h) brought her fifth.She has now set the
London Olympics of 2012 as a possible end to her career. ["Sportief Alkmaar, October 2007 ] If she fails to win a medal, she predicts she will stop.Australia
In November 2007 she will train with the national team of
Australia in preparation for the Olympic Games inBeijing . "Track racing in the Netherlands is a small sport and we do not have a coaching team available for 12 months of the year as they do in Australia. If only we did," she said. ["Sportief Alkmaar, October 2007 ]Record
*Twelve times national champion
*Silver medal 2007 world championship
*Two bronze medals in the 2005 world championship
*Fifth in the 500 m at the 2004 Olympic Games
*Six World Cup victoriesCareer highlights
;2001:1st 500 m,
Dutch National Track Championships :2nd Sprint,Dutch National Track Championships ;2002:3rd European Championship, Track, 500 m, U23:1st Track, 500 m,
Dutch National Track Championships :1st Sprint,Dutch National Track Championships ;2003:3rd Sydney, 500 m (AUS):1st 500 m,
Dutch National Track Championships :1st Keirin,Dutch National Track Championships :1st Sprint,Dutch National Track Championships ;2004:1st 500 m,
Dutch National Track Championships :1st Keirin,Dutch National Track Championships :1st Sprint,Dutch National Track Championships :3rd Moscow, 500 m (RUS):3rd Moscow, Team Sprint (RUS):1st Manchester, 500 m (GBR):1st Sydney, 500 m (AUS):2nd Athens Open Balkan Championship, Track, Sprint, Elite/U23 (GRE):2nd Moscou, 500 m (RUS);2005:3rd Los Angeles, 500 m (USA):3rd Sydney, Sprint (AUS):1st Sydney, 500 m (AUS):3rd World Championship, Track, 500 m, Los Angeles:3rd World Championship, Track, Keirin, Los Angeles:2nd Manchester, 500 m (GBR):1st Sprint,
Dutch National Track Championships :1st 500 m,Dutch National Track Championships :1st Keirin,Dutch National Track Championships ;2006:3rd Los Angeles, 500 m (USA):1st Sydney, 500 m (AUS):3rd Sydney, 500 m (AUS):1st Moscow, Team Sprint (RUS)
;2007:1st Los Angeles, Team Sprint (USA):2nd Manchester, 500 m (GBR):1st Manchester, Team Sprint (GBR):2nd Team Sprint,
UCI Track Cycling World Championships :1st Sydney, Team Sprint (AUS):1st Beijing, Team Sprint (CHN):1st 500 m,Dutch National Track Championships :2nd Sprint,Dutch National Track Championships :2nd Keirin,Dutch National Track Championships ;2008:1st Los Angeles, Team Sprint (USA)
References
External links
* [http://www2.sport.nl/olympischarchief2006/show.php3?spelen=40&pgr=86 Hijgenaar at the Dutch Olympic Archive]
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