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	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	62 kg (137 lb; 9 st 11 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 former competitive swimmer from the Netherlands. She won four gold medals at the Olympics and used to hold many world records.

About Inge

Inge de Bruijn was born in a town called Barendrecht in the Netherlands. Her brother, Matthijs de Bruijn, is also a talented athlete who played water polo in the Olympics.

Inge's Swimming Journey

Before becoming a swimming superstar, Inge de Bruijn tried out different sports. She started her international swimming career at the World Aquatics Championships in January 1991. There, she won a bronze medal as part of the 4×100 meter relay team. Later that year, her team won a gold medal at the European Championships.

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

Becoming "Invincible Inky"

In 1999, Inge won the 50 meter freestyle event at the European Championships. The next year, she set several new world records in the 50 meter freestyle. She then competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. It was an amazing performance!

Inge won three gold medals at the Sydney Olympics. She won the 50 meter freestyle, 100 meter freestyle, and 100 meter butterfly events. She even set new world records in all three races! She also won a silver medal with her team in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay. Because of her incredible success, people started calling her "Invincible Inky."

World Champion and Olympic Legend

Swimming World magazine recognized Inge as the "Female World Swimmer of the Year" in both 2000 and 2001. She continued her winning streak at the 2001 World Championships, where she won three more gold medals. In 2003, she successfully defended her 50 meter freestyle and butterfly titles at the World Championships.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Inge showed her strength again. She won another gold medal in the 50 meter freestyle. This made her the oldest individual champion in Olympic swimming history at that time. She also won a silver medal in the 100 meter freestyle and two bronze medals: one in the 100 meter butterfly and another in the 4×100 meter relay.

Inge de Bruijn is one of the most successful Dutch Olympians ever. She has won a total of eight Olympic medals: four gold, two silver, and two bronze. She also holds a record for female swimmers with nine individual titles won at the Olympics and World Aquatics Championships combined. Only Katie Ledecky has won more.

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

After Swimming

After her swimming career, Inge de Bruijn lived in Eindhoven, Netherlands. She also spent some time training in Portland, Oregon, in the United States.

She became the face of a Dutch clothing brand called Sapph. She worked alongside kickboxer Remy Bonjasky, who was the face for the men's line of the brand.

See also

• List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
• List of Dutch records in swimming
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• List of multiple Summer Olympic medalists
• List of top Olympic gold medalists in swimming
• List of individual gold medalists in swimming at the Olympics and World Aquatics Championships (women)
• World record progression 50 metres freestyle
• World record progression 100 metres freestyle