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You are here: Home Health & Fitness Fitness & Sports 'Hoogie' wants to win just once more

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14/08/2008'Hoogie' wants to win just once more

Pieter van den Hoogenband has just one goal at the Beijing Olympics this summer. He wants to win his third gold medal in a row in the 100-meter freestyle, the main event as far as swimming is concerned. By Mark Grijsbach

If he does he will be the first person to do so in the history of the Olympic Games. At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Van den Hoogenband was the first person to swim the 100-metre freestyle event in under 48 seconds. 
This is the thirty-year-old’s last competition season and he wants to shine just one more time. "I want to show myself and the rest of the world that I am the best. Just one more time." It’s also Van den Hoogenband’s fourth Olympics.
In 1996, he broke into international competition in Atlanta. As an 18-year-old novice he surprised friend and foe by finishing in fourth position in the 100 and 200-metre freestyle events. Four years later, the six-time European Champion was favourite to win at the Sydney Olympics. It was during the competition in Australia that he gained Olympic fame.
         Pieter van den Hoogenband
                                      Pieter van den Hoogenband
In the 100-metre freestyle, he broke the world record to win gold, knocking Russian Alexander Popov, the 1992 and 1996 champion, off top place. He also won a gold medal in the 200-metre freestyle at Sydney, beating the Australian favourite Ian Thorpe. At the same Olympics, he won two bronze medals, in the 50-metre freestyle and as last swimmer of the relay team in the 4 x 200-metre freestyle. Since then, the Australians have affectionately called him 'Hoogie' or 'The Dutch Dolphin'.
Four years later, at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Van den Hoogenband was successful again. He won another gold medal in the 100-metre freestyle. In doing so he followed the footsteps of swimming legends Johnny Weissmuller and Alexander Popov, who also successfully defended their Olympic titles in 1928 and 1996 in the 100-metre event. 

After the Beijing Games, Van den Hoogenband begins his farewell tour. He has to spend at least a year detraining. He drops his plans to become a member of the International Olympic Committee or to go into marketing sports. But he does keep active in his sport and makes his knowledge and experience available to others.
What are your views on the Olympic Games? Will you be supporting your country or host country? Click here to take part in a survey conducted by Expatica in ccoperation with Ruigrok | NetPanel.
[Copyright Radio Netherlands] 
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