- Femke Heemskerk
Infobox Swimmer
swimmername = Femke Heemskerk
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imagesize = 250px
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fullname = Femke Heemskerk
nicknames =
nationality = NED
strokes = freestyle, medley, backstroke
club = Nationaal Zweminstituut Amsterdam
collegeteam =
birthdate = bda|1987|9|21
birthplace =Roelofarendsveen ,Netherlands
deathdate =
deathplace =
height = height|m=1.80 [ [http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/1/217801.shtml Beijing 2008 profile] ]
weight = convert|68|kg|lb
medaltemplates =MedalGold| 2008 Beijing | 4x100m Freestyle [ [http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/swimming/n214524246.shtml Olympic Champions 4x100m freestyle] ]Femke Heemskerk (born
September 21 ,1987 ,Roelofarendsveen ) is a Dutchswimmer [http://www.zwemkroniek.com/whoswho.php?action=1&id=60 Femke Heemskerk] . Zwemkroniek Online. Retrieved on2008-03-19 .] who mainly specializes in freestyle, but also has a strong backstroke and medley.As part of the Dutch team, she holds the world record 4x100 m freestyle relay on both short course [ [http://www.fina.org/project/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=636&Itemid=9 4x100 m Freestyle] . Fina.org. Retrieved on
2008-03-19 .] and long course. [ [http://www.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/03/18/swimming.netherlands.ap/ Dutch girls grab world swim relay record] .CNN . Retrieved on2008-03-19 .] In short course she is also part of the Dutch team who holds the 4x200 m freestyle relay world record. [ [http://www.fina.org/project/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=640&Itemid=9 4x200m Freestyle] . Fina.org.] Individually she is owner of six national records, three in Long Course 200 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke and 200 m individual medley. In Short Course she also has three national records in 200 m freestyle, 100 m and 200 m individual medley.Swimming career
Femke Heemskerk made her international debut at the World LC Championships 2005 in
Montreal as a relay-swimmer. She only swum in the heats of the 4x100 m freestyle and the 4x200 m freestyle events. Shecompeted in the European LC Championships 2006 and theEuropean SC Championships . But individually she didn't come through the heats in both events.At the World LC Championships 2007 she won a bronze medal in the 4x100 m freestyle together with
Inge Dekker ,Ranomi Kromowidjojo andMarleen Veldhuis . At theEuropean SC Championships 2007 inDebrecen she finished surprisingly 6th in her first international final, the 100 m freestyle. She also ended 10th in the 200 m freestyle.Spring 2008
In 2008 she swum at the
European LC Championships 2008 in the world record breaking 4x100 m freestyle team, which was the same as the team who won bronze in the World Championships the year before. With the same team she ended 4th in the 4x200 m freestyle relay. Individually she didn't come through the semi-finals. The next month she competed inManchester at the World SC Championships 2008 where she again broke two relay records in the 4x200 m freestyle with the same girls who did it in Eindhoven. In the 4x100 m freestyleHinkelien Schreuder replacedRanomi Kromowidjojo who suffered from an elbow injury. She won her first individual medal, a silver medal, in the 200 m freestyle at the last day of the tournament. During the National Championships in june 2008 Heemskerk lowered three national record at the long course, 200 m free, 200 m medley and 100 m back.2008 Summer Olympics
At the
2008 Summer Olympics inBeijing she won a gold medal with the 4x100 m freestyle relay. She did so alongsideInge Dekker ,Ranomi Kromowidjojo andMarleen Veldhuis in a time of 3:33.76, just 0.14 outside their own world record. The day-after she started individually in the 200 m individual medley where she ended 28th during the heats. Heemskerk was the lead-off swimmer in both 4x200 m freestyle and 4x100 m medley relays in which she didn't qualify for the finals with her team.Personal bests
See also
*
List of swimmers
*Dutch records in swimming References
* [http://www.femkeheemskerk.nl/ Personal website]
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