Lieke Wevers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lieke Wevers |
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| Country represented |  Netherlands |
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| Born | 17 September 1991 Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands |
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| Hometown | Heerenveen, Friesland, Netherlands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Oslo, Norway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Women's artistic gymnastics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years on national team | 2009–2021 2024- (NED) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Topsport Noord Heerenveen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coach(es) | Vincent Wevers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Music | 2015–16: "Nuvole Bianche" by Ludovico Einaudi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Lieke Wevers (born 17 September 1991) is a talented Dutch artistic gymnast. She made history by becoming the first Dutch woman to win a European gymnastics title. This happened at the 2015 European Games. There, she won a gold medal on the balance beam. She also earned bronze medals with her team, in the individual all-around event, and on the floor exercise. Lieke has competed in three Summer Olympics: in 2016, 2020, and 2024. She even reached the all-around finals in 2020.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Lieke Wevers was born on September 17, 1991, in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. She has a twin sister named Sanne Wevers, who is six minutes older. Both Lieke and Sanne are amazing gymnasts. They were both part of the Netherlands women's national gymnastics team. Their father, Vincent Wevers, is their coach. They train together in Heerenveen.
Lieke's Gymnastics Journey
Starting Out and Overcoming Injuries (2009–2013)
Lieke's journey in gymnastics had a few bumps early on. She faced some injuries that kept her from big international competitions until 2009. Her first international event was the 2009 Cottbus World Cup. She won a silver medal on the balance beam there. Sadly, at the 2009 European Championships, she had a serious knee injury. This meant she couldn't compete for two years.
Lieke returned for the 2011 World Championships. She helped the Dutch team finish thirteenth. This result allowed them to compete in the 2012 Olympic Test Event. However, the team didn't qualify for the Olympics that year. After this, Lieke needed surgery on both of her wrists. She then missed all of the 2013 season.
Big Achievements and Olympic Dreams (2014–2016)
Lieke came back strong in 2014. She competed with her sister Sanne at the 2014 European Championships. This was the first time both Wevers twins competed together at such a big event. They helped the Netherlands finish ninth. Later, at the 2014 World Championships, Lieke helped the Dutch team finish tenth.
The year 2015 was a huge one for Lieke. She won a gold medal on the balance beam at the Sidijk Tournament. Then, at the 2015 European Games, she won gold on the balance beam. She also earned three bronze medals: with her team, in the all-around, and on floor exercise. Lieke was chosen for the World Championships in Glasgow. The Dutch team, including Lieke and Sanne, made history. They qualified for the Olympic Games as a team for the first time since 1976! The team finished eighth in the final. Lieke also placed thirteenth in the all-around final and eighth in the floor exercise final.
In 2016, Lieke continued to shine. She won a bronze medal on the balance beam at the Olympic Test Event. She was then selected to represent the Netherlands at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Her father, Vincent, also went as a coach. The Dutch team finished seventh in the team final. Lieke herself finished twentieth in the individual all-around final.
Later Career and Coaching (2017–Present)
In 2017, Lieke competed in several events, including the World Championships. She didn't reach the finals there. She took a break from competing in 2018 to rest and travel.
Lieke returned in 2019. She won a gold medal with the Dutch team at the FIG Challenge. At the Dutch Championships, she won silver in the all-around. She also won gold medals on the uneven bars and floor exercise. She helped the Netherlands team qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics at the World Championships in Stuttgart. The team finished eighth in the final.
Lieke did not compete in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She came back in 2021, winning gold in the all-around at the Heerenveen Friendly. She also competed at the 2021 European Championships. She finished eighth in the all-around and seventh on the balance beam. Lieke was chosen for the Netherlands at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The team finished eleventh. Lieke qualified for the all-around final and finished twenty-fourth.
After the 2020 Olympics, Lieke moved to Oslo, Norway. She started coaching gymnastics while still training herself. She also competed at the 2024 European Championships and the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Personal Life
Lieke Wevers is a very smart person. She studied psychology at the Open University of the Netherlands. She can speak several languages, including Dutch, English, German, and French.
See also
In Spanish: Lieke Wevers para niños
