Sanne Wevers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sanne Wevers
Wevers at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Country represented	Netherlands
Born	(1991-09-17) 17 September 1991 (age 33) Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands
Height	1.56 m (5 ft 1 in)
Discipline	Women's artistic gymnastics
Years on national team	2007–present
Club	Topsport Noord Heerenveen
Head coach(es)	Vincent Wevers
Eponymous skills	Wevers (E): 2/1 turn (720) with heel of free leg forward at horizontal throughout turn (Balance beam)
Medal record Representing the  Netherlands Olympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Balance beam World Championships Silver 2015 Glasgow Balance beam European Championships Gold 2018 Glasgow Balance beam Gold 2023 Antalya Balance beam Silver 2021 Basel Balance beam Bronze 2015 Montpellier Uneven bars Bronze 2018 Glasgow Team Bronze 2023 Antalya Team FIG World Cup Event 1st 2nd 3rd Apparatus World Cup 4 2 0 World Challenge Cup 1 1 1

Sanne Wevers (born 17 September 1991) is a famous Dutch artistic gymnast. She is best known for winning the gold medal on the balance beam at the 2016 Summer Olympics. This made her the first female gymnast from the Netherlands to win an individual Olympic gold medal.

Wevers is a specialist on the uneven bars and balance beam. She is famous for her creative and graceful routines. Instead of focusing only on powerful acrobatic moves, she is known for her difficult turns and dance skills. She has won many medals, including two European Championships on the balance beam in 2018 and 2023. She also helped the Dutch team win bronze medals at the European Championships.

Personal Life

Sanne Wevers was born in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. She has a fraternal twin sister, Lieke, who is also a talented gymnast. Sanne is six minutes older than Lieke. The sisters have often competed together on the Dutch national gymnastics team. Their father, Vincent Wevers, is their coach.

Gymnastics Journey

Early Career (2007–2012)

Sanne began competing in major international events in 2007. She quickly showed her talent, especially on the balance beam and uneven bars. In 2008, she won her first gold medals at the Glasgow World Cup.

However, Sanne also faced challenges with injuries. She had to miss some important competitions, including the 2011 World Championships. This event was a qualifier for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Because of her injury, she could not compete for a spot at the London Olympics.

Despite these setbacks, she continued to train hard. In 2010, she performed a new skill on the balance beam at the World Championships. The skill, a double turn with the leg held high, was officially named "the Wevers" in her honor.

Rise to the Top (2013–2015)

Wevers at the 2015 European Championships

By 2013, Sanne was back and winning medals. She won a gold medal on the balance beam at the Osijek World Cup. In 2014, she and her sister Lieke competed together for the first time at a major event, the European Championships.

Her big breakthrough came in 2015. At the European Championships, she won a bronze medal on the uneven bars. It was her first medal at a major European competition.

Later that year, at the 2015 World Championships, she helped the Dutch team qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics. It was the first time the Netherlands had a full gymnastics team at the Olympics since 1976. In the individual finals, Sanne won the silver medal on the balance beam, finishing just behind American superstar Simone Biles.

Olympic Champion (2016)

Wevers at the 2016 Olympic Games

The year 2016 was the most important of Sanne's career. She went to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro with her sister Lieke and the rest of the Dutch team. The team finished in seventh place, a great result for the Netherlands.

On August 15, Sanne competed in the balance beam final. She performed a beautiful and difficult routine filled with amazing turns. Her score of 15.466 was high enough to win the gold medal. She beat American gymnasts Laurie Hernandez and Simone Biles.

Her victory was historic. She became the first Dutch woman to win an individual Olympic medal in gymnastics. She was also chosen to be the flag bearer for the Netherlands at the closing ceremony.

Continued Success (2017–2019)

After her Olympic win, Sanne continued to compete at a high level. In 2018, she became the European champion on the balance beam. She also helped the Dutch team win a bronze medal at the same event. This was the first team medal for the Netherlands at the European Championships in 16 years.

At the 2018 World Championships, she made it to the balance beam final but finished seventh after a fall. In 2019, she helped the Dutch team qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Recent Years (2020–2024)

Sanne competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were held in 2021. The Dutch team finished eleventh. Individually, Sanne was a reserve for the balance beam final. In 2021, she also won a silver medal on the balance beam at the European Championships.

After taking a break in 2022, Sanne returned in 2023. She had a fantastic year, winning another gold medal on the balance beam at the European Championships. She also helped her team win a bronze medal.

In 2024, Sanne was selected for her third Olympic Games in Paris. She competed with her sister Lieke once again. The Dutch team finished ninth, and Sanne was the first reserve for the balance beam final.

Special Skill

Gymnasts can have new skills named after them if they are the first to perform them at a major competition. Sanne Wevers has one skill named after her in the official Code of Points.

Competitive History Highlights

Wevers on the uneven bars at the 2015 European Championships.

Sanne has competed in many events and won numerous medals. Here are some of her most important results.

Year	Event	Team	Balance Beam
2008	Glasgow World Cup
2015	European Championships		8
World Championships	8
2016
Olympic Games	7
2017	Melbourne World Cup
2018
European Championships
World Championships	R2	7
2021
European Championships
2023
European Championships
World Championships	7	4
2024
Olympic Games	9	R1

Awards

• Dutch Sportswoman of the Year (2016)

Images for kids

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  Wevers on the balance beam at the 2015 European Championships.

See also

In Spanish: Sanne Wevers para niños