Joan van den Akker
Encyclopedia
Joan van den Akker is a former Dutch
sprinter
.
Already at the age of six Van den Akker became interested in athletics, although she loved riding
, tennis
and streetdance
as well. When she was twelve years old she started competing in the heptathlon
, because she liked doing all the events. Gradually her sprinting talent came to the surface, however and in 2002 she was present at the World Junior Championships
in Kingston, Jamaica
, finishing a good 6th and 7th in the 100
and 200 metres
respectively.
In 2003 Joan van den Akker participated in the World Championships
in Paris
as a member of the Dutch 4 x 100 metres relay
team, together with Jacqueline Poelman
, Pascal van Assendelft
and Annemarie Kramer
. The team nominated itself for the 2004 Summer Olympics
, realising the twelfth time out of twenty teams in competition. And although the final remained beyond reach, the Dutch four set a season’s fastest time, scoring 43.96.
The same relay formation as in the preceding year participated at the Summer Olympics in Athens
. They were however eliminated in the series due to a mistake in the changing area.
In April 2007 Van den Akker, who became Dutch 100 metres champion in 2004, announced her withdrawal from athletics. She claimed no longer to be able to cope with the continuous series of foot injuries, since all kinds of treatments had brought no improvements.
Indoor
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
sprinter
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
.
Already at the age of six Van den Akker became interested in athletics, although she loved riding
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and streetdance
Street dance
Street dance, more formally known as vernacular dance, is an umbrella term used to describe dance styles that evolved outside of dance studios in any available open space such as streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, raves, and nightclubs, etc...
as well. When she was twelve years old she started competing in the heptathlon
Heptathlon
A heptathlon is a track and field athletics combined events contest made up of seven events. The name derives from the Greek hepta and athlon . A competitor in a heptathlon is referred to as a heptathlete.-Women's Heptathlon:...
, because she liked doing all the events. Gradually her sprinting talent came to the surface, however and in 2002 she was present at the World Junior Championships
2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2002 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Kingston, Jamaica from July 16 to July 21, 2002.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:...
in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, finishing a good 6th and 7th in the 100
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
and 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
respectively.
In 2003 Joan van den Akker participated in the World Championships
2003 World Championships in Athletics
The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
as a member of the Dutch 4 x 100 metres relay
4 x 100 metres relay
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race...
team, together with Jacqueline Poelman
Jacqueline Poelman
Helina Jacomina Poelman is a former Dutch sprinter.Poelman was born and raised in Leek and trained at an athletics club in Roden. Her first major international tournament were the 1991 European Junior Championships in Thessaloniki, where she did not reach the final on the 100 nor the 200 m...
, Pascal van Assendelft
Pascal van Assendelft
Pascal van Assendelft is a former Dutch sprinter. She started her career in athletics at the age of thirteen and was to become a sprinting athlete, competing at European and Olympic level....
and Annemarie Kramer
Annemarie Kramer
Anna Maria 'Annemarie' Kramer is a former Dutch sprinter. She started with athletics at the age of twelve and soon found out that she had a special talent for the sprinting events...
. The team nominated itself for the 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...
, realising the twelfth time out of twenty teams in competition. And although the final remained beyond reach, the Dutch four set a season’s fastest time, scoring 43.96.
The same relay formation as in the preceding year participated at the Summer Olympics in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. They were however eliminated in the series due to a mistake in the changing area.
In April 2007 Van den Akker, who became Dutch 100 metres champion in 2004, announced her withdrawal from athletics. She claimed no longer to be able to cope with the continuous series of foot injuries, since all kinds of treatments had brought no improvements.
Personal bests
Outdoor- 100 metres100 metresThe 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
- 11.35 (2004) - 200 metres200 metresA 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
- 24.33 (2002)
Indoor
- 60 metres60 metres60 metres is a sprint event in track and field athletics. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes...
- 7.44 (2004)