Aruba at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
Aruba
competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
, China
. Their participation marked their sixth Olympic appearance, and included the smallest number of athletes that had ever represented Aruba in its history. Two Arubans competed in the Olympic games: Jan Roodzant
participated as a swimmer, and Fiderd Vis
participated in judo. The Aruban delegation arrived in Beijing between August 1 and August 4, including the athletes, coaches, and various officials from both the IOC and the Aruban Olympic Committee
(Comité Olimpico Arubano, COA), Aruba's local Olympic committee. Fiderd Vis came to Beijing on special invitation from the IOC, which had observed his progress while he trained in Brazil. Vis was the flagbearer in the opening ceremony, while Roodzant was so in the closing ceremony. Both athletes were eliminated in the preliminary rounds on August 12, 2008; consequently, Aruba did not earn any medals.
in Seoul, South Korea. In the summer of 2008, the fewest athletes in Aruba's history thus far participated in the Olympics, with two men participating in two events. This compares with Aruba's participation in the previous 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens, where Aruba was represented by four athletes of three sports. Aruba's 2008 Olympic representatives included no female athletes, which had occurred only once previously in Atlanta's 1996 Summer Olympics
(three male athletes participating in three distinct sports).
On August 1, 2008, the Aruban athletes left for Beijing aboard KLM Flight 765. Vis and Roodzant were accompanied by their trainers and COA officials Edmundo Josiah and Chu Halabi. COA president Leo Maduro and COA officials Mary Hsing and Ling Wong left for Beijing three days later. Alongside IOC member Nicole Hoevertsz, this group formed the Aruban delegation to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
The Aruban delegation arrived at the Olympic Village
on August 6, 2008, alongside the delegations of Paraguay
, Cuba
, and Tuvalu
. As part of the welcoming ceremony, the Chinese military hoisted the Aruban flag
, and the Aruban national anthem "Aruba Dushi Tera
" was performed. The Aruban delegation and the governing body of the Olympic Village exchanged gifts.
Aruba's athletes were 109th to enter the Beijing National Stadium
during the march of nations of the opening ceremony
. Fiderd Vis
, the only judoka representing Aruba, was the flagbearer. During the closing ceremony
, the swimmer Jan Roodzant was the flagbearer.
Fiderd Vis
was the only Aruban participating as a judoka in the Beijing Olympics. He was trained by Alberto Thiel.
To train for the Olympics, Fiderd Vis left Aruba to train in Brazil, taking advantage of an agreement between the COA and the Brazilian Olympic Committee
and another between the COA and the Brazilian Judo Confederation fostered after Aruba's participation in the 2007 Pan American Games
in Rio de Janeiro. Vis left for Brasilia on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 to participate in the Campeonato Suramericano. He later traveled to São Paulo to train with Brazilian judokas. Having seen Vis's progress, the International Olympic Committee
extended to him a special invitation that guaranteed his participation in the Beijing Olympics. The COA accepted the invitation, and Fiderd Vis became Aruba's second and final athlete for the year's Olympic Games.
Vis faced Guo Lei
of the People's Republic of China
on August 12 in the fourteenth match of the preliminary round of 32. He was defeated, and did not advance.
Men
Netherlands-born Jan Roodzant
was the only Aruban swimmer to participate in the Beijing Summer Olympics.
Roodzant spent the year prior to the Olympics with trainer Ismael Santiesteban preparing in Gainesville
, Florida
, receiving specialist training alongside the University of Florida
's swim team. He returned to Aruba for a few days, starting February 26, 2008, but soon returned to the United States to resume his training. Roodzant sook to qualify for FINA
by doing well at the CARIFTA Swimming Championships
; in qualifying for FINA, Roodzant secured a spot in the Beijing Olympics.
Roodzant completed his last practice in Beijing on August 11, 2008, the day before his competition. Roodzant was assigned to heat 2 for his race. He was the fastest swimmer in his heat during the preliminaries of August 12, with a time of 51.69s in the Men's 100 m freestyle event. Overall, however, he was 53rd out of 64 in the event, and as a result, he did not advance.
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Their participation marked their sixth Olympic appearance, and included the smallest number of athletes that had ever represented Aruba in its history. Two Arubans competed in the Olympic games: Jan Roodzant
Jan Roodzant
Jan Roodzant is an Olympic-swimmer from Aruba. He swam for Aruba at the:*2008 Olympics,*2007 World Championships, and*2006 Central American and Caribbean Games.-References:...
participated as a swimmer, and Fiderd Vis
Fiderd Vis
Fiderd Vis is a judoka from Aruba. He competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and was the flag-bearer for his nation during the opening ceremonies of those games.-External links:*...
participated in judo. The Aruban delegation arrived in Beijing between August 1 and August 4, including the athletes, coaches, and various officials from both the IOC and the Aruban Olympic Committee
Aruban Olympic Committee
The Aruban Olympic Committee was established in 1985 after Aruba separated from the Netherlands Antilles. Previously, Aruba was represented by the Netherlands Antilles Olympic Committee...
(Comité Olimpico Arubano, COA), Aruba's local Olympic committee. Fiderd Vis came to Beijing on special invitation from the IOC, which had observed his progress while he trained in Brazil. Vis was the flagbearer in the opening ceremony, while Roodzant was so in the closing ceremony. Both athletes were eliminated in the preliminary rounds on August 12, 2008; consequently, Aruba did not earn any medals.
Background
Aruba had competed in five consecutive Olympic Games by 2008; its entrance into the Beijing Olympics marked its sixth consecutive appearance since the 1988 Summer Olympics1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul, South Korea. In the summer of 2008, the fewest athletes in Aruba's history thus far participated in the Olympics, with two men participating in two events. This compares with Aruba's participation in the previous 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens, where Aruba was represented by four athletes of three sports. Aruba's 2008 Olympic representatives included no female athletes, which had occurred only once previously in Atlanta's 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
(three male athletes participating in three distinct sports).
On August 1, 2008, the Aruban athletes left for Beijing aboard KLM Flight 765. Vis and Roodzant were accompanied by their trainers and COA officials Edmundo Josiah and Chu Halabi. COA president Leo Maduro and COA officials Mary Hsing and Ling Wong left for Beijing three days later. Alongside IOC member Nicole Hoevertsz, this group formed the Aruban delegation to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
The Aruban delegation arrived at the Olympic Village
Olympic Village
An Olympic Village is an accommodation centre built for an Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all participating athletes, as well as officials, athletic trainers, and other staff. Since the Munich Massacre at the 1972...
on August 6, 2008, alongside the delegations of Paraguay
Paraguay at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Athletics:WomenMen- Sailing :Women- Shooting :Women- Swimming :- Table tennis :Men-References:*...
, Cuba
Cuba at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Cuba competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. As of 8 August 2008, 165 Cuban athletes had qualified to compete in 16 sports. The country's flagbearer at the opening ceremony was wrestler Mijaín López.-Medalists:...
, and Tuvalu
Tuvalu at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Tuvalu made their first ever appearance in an Olympic Games when the country sent three athletes to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Athletes from Tuvalu competed in two events....
. As part of the welcoming ceremony, the Chinese military hoisted the Aruban flag
Flag of Aruba
Aruba's national flag was adopted on March 18, 1976. The design consists of a field of light blue , two narrow parallel horizontal yellow stripes in the bottom half, and a four-pointed white-fimbriated red star in the canton.The design elements have multiple symbolic meanings:* The blue field...
, and the Aruban national anthem "Aruba Dushi Tera
Aruba Dushi Tera
Aruba Dushi Tera is the national anthem of Aruba. It is a waltz written by Juan Chabaya Lampe and composed by Rufo Wever. It was accepted as the anthem on March 18, 1976...
" was performed. The Aruban delegation and the governing body of the Olympic Village exchanged gifts.
Aruba's athletes were 109th to enter the Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
during the march of nations of the opening ceremony
2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 8, 2008, as 8 is considered to be a lucky number. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture...
. Fiderd Vis
Fiderd Vis
Fiderd Vis is a judoka from Aruba. He competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and was the flag-bearer for his nation during the opening ceremonies of those games.-External links:*...
, the only judoka representing Aruba, was the flagbearer. During the closing ceremony
2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It was directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 24, 2008...
, the swimmer Jan Roodzant was the flagbearer.
Judo
Fiderd VisFiderd Vis
Fiderd Vis is a judoka from Aruba. He competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and was the flag-bearer for his nation during the opening ceremonies of those games.-External links:*...
was the only Aruban participating as a judoka in the Beijing Olympics. He was trained by Alberto Thiel.
To train for the Olympics, Fiderd Vis left Aruba to train in Brazil, taking advantage of an agreement between the COA and the Brazilian Olympic Committee
Brazilian Olympic Committee
The Brazilian Olympic Committee or BOC is the highest authority in Brazilian sport and the governing body of Brazilian Olympic sport. It was officially founded on June 8, 1914 but World War I caused its official activities to begin only in 1935...
and another between the COA and the Brazilian Judo Confederation fostered after Aruba's participation in the 2007 Pan American Games
2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to July 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in...
in Rio de Janeiro. Vis left for Brasilia on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 to participate in the Campeonato Suramericano. He later traveled to São Paulo to train with Brazilian judokas. Having seen Vis's progress, the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
extended to him a special invitation that guaranteed his participation in the Beijing Olympics. The COA accepted the invitation, and Fiderd Vis became Aruba's second and final athlete for the year's Olympic Games.
Vis faced Guo Lei
Guo Lei
Guo Lei is a male Chinese judoka who competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the Half middleweight event.-Major performances:*2003 National Championships - 1st;*2006 National Champions Tournament - 1st;...
of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
on August 12 in the fourteenth match of the preliminary round of 32. He was defeated, and did not advance.
Men
| Athlete | Event | Preliminary | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition result |
Opposition result |
Opposition result |
Opposition result |
Opposition result |
Opposition result |
||
| Fiderd Vis Fiderd Vis Fiderd Vis is a judoka from Aruba. He competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and was the flag-bearer for his nation during the opening ceremonies of those games.-External links:*... |
−81 kg | bye | L 1100–0000 |
Did not advance | |||
Swimming
Netherlands-born Jan RoodzantJan Roodzant
Jan Roodzant is an Olympic-swimmer from Aruba. He swam for Aruba at the:*2008 Olympics,*2007 World Championships, and*2006 Central American and Caribbean Games.-References:...
was the only Aruban swimmer to participate in the Beijing Summer Olympics.
Roodzant spent the year prior to the Olympics with trainer Ismael Santiesteban preparing in Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, receiving specialist training alongside the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
's swim team. He returned to Aruba for a few days, starting February 26, 2008, but soon returned to the United States to resume his training. Roodzant sook to qualify for FINA
Fina
Fina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...
by doing well at the CARIFTA Swimming Championships
CARIFTA Swimming Championships
The CARIFTA Aquatics Championships is an annual, age-group aquatics championships for the Caribbean. It has been held since 1985, and is similar in form/origin to the track & field/athletics event: the CARIFTA Games...
; in qualifying for FINA, Roodzant secured a spot in the Beijing Olympics.
Roodzant completed his last practice in Beijing on August 11, 2008, the day before his competition. Roodzant was assigned to heat 2 for his race. He was the fastest swimmer in his heat during the preliminaries of August 12, with a time of 51.69s in the Men's 100 m freestyle event. Overall, however, he was 53rd out of 64 in the event, and as a result, he did not advance.
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Semifinal | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Jan Roodzant Jan Roodzant Jan Roodzant is an Olympic-swimmer from Aruba. He swam for Aruba at the:*2008 Olympics,*2007 World Championships, and*2006 Central American and Caribbean Games.-References:... |
Men's 100 m freestyle | 51.69s | 53 | Did not advance | |||
See also
- Aruba at the 2007 Pan American GamesAruba at the 2007 Pan American GamesThe 15th Pan American Games were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 13 July to 29 July 2007.-External links:*...
- Aruba at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean GamesAruba at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean GamesThe XXIst Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico from July 17, 2010 to August 1, 2010.-External links:*...