Sjoukje Dijkstra was ‘an icon, legend, great athlete, wonderful person’

NOS Skating•today, 8:55 PM

That Sjoukje Dijkstra was loved is evident from the many reactions to the death of the former figure skater and the Netherlands’ first gold medalist at the Winter Games.

Erica Terpstra calls Dijkstra “a great athlete and a wonderful person”. The former NOC*NSF chairman presented Dijkstra with the Fanny Blankers-Koen Trophy for her services in 2005.

“I don’t know anyone who had achieved so much and remained so modest about it all her life,” said Terpstra. “She was so proud, but she never raved about it. That is a special combination that you don’t see very often.”

Terpstra “is going to miss Sjoukje,” she says. The former sportswomen always kept in touch. “It was always a great pleasure to meet her and talk to her,” said the former NOC*NSF chairman.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima responded on social media to the death of the 1964 Olympic champion and three-time world champion.

“We were saddened to learn of the death of Sjoukje Dijkstra,” the king and queen wrote. “With her phenomenal jumping power, she managed to amaze the skating world and everyone outside of it. She was the first Dutch person ever to win gold at the Winter Olympics – and became a legend. Her fantastic achievements are etched in our memories.”

The impressive career of figure skating icon Sjoukje Dijkstra (1942-2024)

The KNSB skating association also responded, via director Herman de Haan. De Haan describes her as an example for young figure skaters.

“Sjoukje won six national, five European and three world titles. But her name is mainly mentioned in the same breath as the first – and only – gold medal for the Netherlands in figure skating at the Olympic Games. A unique achievement in a globally very important sport such as figure skating,” says De Haan, who calls Dijkstra an inspiration.

“Her brilliant performances made many children want to take up figure skating. Just like her training buddy and friend Joan Haanappel, who passed away earlier this year, Sjoukje was an example for new generations of figure skaters. With the death of Sjoukje Dijkstra we lose one of the greatest icons of Dutch (skating) sports.”

Anneke van Zanen-Nieberg, chairman of NOC*NSF, calls Sjoukje Dijkstra an icon in figure skating. “She was a sportswoman through and through. She showed how hard work can make your dream come true.”

“Together with her inseparable friend Joan Haanappel, who passed away in February, she was a very important international ambassador for figure skating. They were also role models who kept this sport alive, with Sjoukje taking a modest but powerful role.”