Jeen van den Berg facts for kids
Jeen van den Berg, Elfstedentocht winner 1954
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | 8 January 1928 De Veenhoop, Netherlands |
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| Died | 8 October 2014 (aged 86) Heerenveen, Netherlands |
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| Sport | ||||||||||||||
| Country | Netherlands | |||||||||||||
| Sport | Speed skating | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Jeen van den Berg (born January 8, 1928 – died October 8, 2014) was a famous Dutch speed skater. He is best known for winning the Elfstedentocht, a very long and challenging ice skating race, in 1954. He also became a Dutch marathon skate champion.
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The Elfstedentocht Race
The Elfstedentocht is a famous long-distance ice skating race in the Netherlands. It covers almost 200 kilometers (about 124 miles) and passes through eleven different towns. The race only happens when the ice is thick enough and safe.
Jeen van den Berg won this tough race on February 3, 1954. He finished in a record time of 7 hours and 35 minutes. This record stood for 31 years! He raced in the Elfstedentocht a record seven times. His first race was in 1947, and his last was in 1997.
In 1963, he placed third in a very difficult Elfstedentocht race. This race was known for its harsh weather conditions. Later, in 1973, Jeen became the first Dutch marathon skate champion.
Olympic Games Adventures
Jeen van den Berg was also an Olympic speed skater. He competed for the Netherlands in two Winter Olympic Games.
1956 Winter Olympics
At the 1956 Winter Olympics in Italy, Jeen raced in the 5000 meters event. He finished in 24th place.
1960 Winter Olympics
Four years later, he competed at the 1960 Winter Olympics in the United States. He raced in two events there. He finished 19th in the 5000 meters and 22nd in the 1500 meters.
Skating Records
Jeen van den Berg set many personal best times during his speed skating career. These records show how fast he could skate over different distances.
| Personal records | ||||
| Men's Speed skating | ||||
| Event | Result | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 meter | 44.8 | 24 January 1959 | Oslo | |
| 1000 meter | 1:43.5 | 20 February 1954 | Appingedam | |
| 1500 meter | 2:16.5 | 31 January 1960 | Davos | |
| 3000 meter | 4:48.4 | 14 January 1959 | Hamar | |
| 5000 meter | 8:08.5 | 16 February 1960 | Squaw Valley | |
| 10000 meter | 17:04.4 | 17 February 1960 | Davos | |
About His Life
Jeen van den Berg was a teacher by profession. He was married to Atty. He passed away on October 8, 2014, at the age of 86. He had suffered a serious health issue before his death.
