Marie Vierdag

v. l. to the right: ten Ouden, Braun, Truus Bouwmeester and Marie Vierdag (1931)

Marie Smit-Vierdag (born September 22, 1905 in Amersfoort , † July 17, 2005 there ) was a Dutch swimmer.

Athletic career

Vierdag was at the cradle of the Dutch success in the international swimming competitions of the 1920s and 1930s. With two European championship titles and an Olympic silver medal, she made her breakthrough to the top of the world as one of the first swimmers in her home country.

Vierdag attracted attention as a 16-year-old when she broke the Dutch records for 100, 200 and 1,500 meters freestyle in 1922. In 1924 she first took part in the Summer Olympics in Paris . On her strongest course, the 100 meters freestyle, she was able to qualify for the final battle.

The following year, she won the title in Bologna at the European Swimming Championships , which was held for the first time for women, over the same distance in 1: 15.0 minutes. Together with the Dutch 4 × 100 meter freestyle relay, she secured the silver medal in a time of 5: 11.6 minutes.

In 1928 she took part in the Olympic Games in Amsterdam as a member of the 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay. However, the team was disqualified during the competition. The relay team rehabilitated three years later and won the title at the European Swimming Championships in Paris with Truus Bouwmeester , Marie Vierdag, Willemijntje den Ouden and Maria Johanna Braun .

The following year, Vierdag competed in Los Angeles for the third time at the Olympic Games and celebrated her greatest success. Together with Willemijntje den Ouden , Maria Oversloot and Corrie Laddé , she won the silver medal in the European record time of 4: 47.5 minutes behind the US relay.

After finishing her active career, she worked as a sports teacher and physiotherapist. Marie Smit-Vierdag died on July 17, 2005, two months before her 100th birthday.

Web links

• Marie Vierdag in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )