Inge de Bruijn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Inge de Bruijn

De Bruijn in 2008
Personal information
Born	(1973-08-24) 24 August 1973 (age 51) Barendrecht, Netherlands
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	61 kg (134 lb; 9 st 8 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle, butterfly
Medal record Women's swimming Representing the Netherlands Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 4 2 2 World Championships (LC) 5 0 1 World Championships (SC) 1 1 1 European Championships (LC) 3 2 3 European Championships (SC) 5 3 3 Olympic Games Gold 2000 Sydney 50 m freestyle Gold 2000 Sydney 100 m freestyle Gold 2000 Sydney 100 m butterfly Gold 2004 Athens 50 m freestyle Silver 2000 Sydney 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2004 Athens 100 m freestyle Bronze 2004 Athens 100 m butterfly Bronze 2004 Athens 4×100 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 2001 Fukuoka 50 m freestyle Gold 2001 Fukuoka 100 m freestyle Gold 2001 Fukuoka 50 m butterfly Gold 2003 Barcelona 50 m freestyle Gold 2003 Barcelona 50 m butterfly Bronze 1991 Perth 4×100 m freestyle World Championships (SC) Gold 1999 Hong Kong 50 m freestyle Silver 1999 Hong Kong 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 1999 Hong Kong 50 m butterfly European Championships (LC) Gold 1991 Athens 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1999 Istanbul 50 m freestyle Gold 1999 Istanbul 100 m butterfly Silver 1991 Athens 100 m butterfly Silver 1999 Istanbul 100 m freestyle Bronze 1991 Athens 50 m freestyle Bronze 1991 Athens 4×100 m medley Bronze 1993 Sheffield 50 m freestyle European Championships (SC) Gold 1991 Gelsenkirchen 50 m butterfly Gold 1998 Sheffield 50 m freestyle Gold 1998 Sheffield 50 m butterfly Gold 2001 Antwerp 50 m freestyle Gold 2001 Antwerp 100 m freestyle Silver 1992 Espoo 50 m butterfly Silver 1998 Sheffield 4×50 m freestyle Silver 2001 Antwerp 4×50 m freestyle Bronze 1998 Sheffield 100 m butterfly Bronze 1998 Sheffield 4×50 m medley Bronze 2001 Antwerp 4×50 m medley

Inge de Bruijn (born August 24, 1973) is a famous Dutch former swimmer. She won four gold medals at the Olympics. She also held world records in several swimming events.

About Inge de Bruijn

Inge de Bruijn was born in Barendrecht, Netherlands. Her brother, Matthijs de Bruijn, was also an Olympic athlete in water polo.

Inge's Swimming Journey

Inge tried many sports before she decided to focus on swimming. She first competed at the World Aquatics Championships in 1991. There, she won a bronze medal with her team in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay. Later that year, she won a gold medal in the same event at the European Championships.

Olympic Debut and Big Wins

In 1992, Inge de Bruijn made her first appearance at the 1992 Summer Olympics. She finished 8th in the 100 meter freestyle and the 4×100 meter freestyle relay. She did not compete in the 1996 Olympics.

In 1999, she won the 50 meter freestyle at the European Championships. The next year, she set several world records in the 50 meter freestyle. She then went to the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

At the Sydney Olympics, Inge was amazing! She won three gold medals:

• 50 meter freestyle
• 100 meter freestyle
• 100 meter butterfly

She set new world records in all three events. She also won a silver medal with her team in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay. People started calling her "Invincible Inky" because she was so good.

Continuing Success

Swimming World named Inge the "Female World Swimmer of the Year" in both 2000 and 2001. She won three more titles at the 2001 World Championships.

At the 2003 World Championships, Inge won gold again in the 50 meter freestyle and 50 meter butterfly.

Athens Olympics and Retirement

Inge competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She successfully defended her gold medal in the 50 meter freestyle. She also won a silver medal in the 100 meter freestyle. Plus, she earned two bronze medals: one in the 100 meter butterfly and another in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay.

At 30 years old, Inge became the oldest female Olympic champion in swimming history. This record still stands today.

Inge de Bruijn has a total of eight Olympic medals: four gold, two silver, and two bronze. This makes her one of the most successful Dutch Olympians ever. She won nine individual titles at the Olympics and World Aquatics Championships combined. This was a record for female swimmers until Katie Ledecky won her tenth title in 2016.

In March 2007, Inge de Bruijn announced that she was retiring from competitive swimming.

Images for kids

• 

  De Bruijn in 2008

• 

  Olympic rings

See also

In Spanish: Inge de Bruijn para niños

• List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
• List of Dutch records in swimming
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• World record progression 50 metres freestyle