Sjoukje Dijkstra
Encyclopedia
Sjoukje Rosalinde Dijkstra (ˌʃʌukjə ˈdɛikstrɑ, born 28 January 1942 in Akkrum
, Netherlands
) is a Dutch
figure skater. She is the 1964 Olympic champion
in Ladies' Singles, the 1960 Olympic silver medalist
, a three-time World champion
(1962–1964), five-time European champion
(1960–1964), and the six-time Dutch national champion
(1959–1964).
Following the retirement of Carol Heiss
in 1960, who took gold medals in Winter Olympics and World Championships that year to Dijkstra's silver medals in both competitions, Dijkstra became the dominant skater in Ladies Figure Skating. She won all the World and European Championships held between 1961 and 1964 (1961 World Championships was cancelled after Sabena Flight 548
Crash). Her win at the 1964 Winter Olympics
was the first gold for the Netherlands at the Winter Olympics. She is the last person to have won Olympic gold medal after winning a silver or bronze medal in a prior Olympic in Ladies Figure Skating. After 1964, she turned professional and toured with Holiday On Ice
from 1964 to 1972. She became the advisor to the figure skating section of the Dutch Skating Federation in 1985. Currently she does commentary for Dutch television.
In 2005, she was awarded the Fanny Blankers-Koen
Trophy, for her contributions to Dutch sports.
Dijkstra is the daughter of Lou Dijkstra
, a speedskater who competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics
.
During her competitive career, Dijkstra trained in Richmond, London with Arnold Gerschwiler
. While her main strength was compulsory figures
, she was also a very powerful and athletic free skater who could perform high-quality double axels
and flying spins, and who skated with easy movement and strong flow. At 1.68 metres, she was fairly tall for a skater, and one magazine article noted that "she is much more slender in person than she appears on the ice".
Akkrum
Akkrum is a village in the Dutch province of Friesland. It is located in the municipality Boarnsterhim, about 17 km south of the city of Leeuwarden....
, Netherlands
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...
) is a Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
figure skater. She is the 1964 Olympic champion
Figure skating at the 1964 Winter Olympics
-Medal table:-Men Singles:Referee:* Henry M. BeattyAssistant Referee:* Oskar MadlJudges: Adolf Walker Gérard Rodrigues Henriques Geoffrey S...
in Ladies' Singles, the 1960 Olympic silver medalist
Figure skating at the 1960 Winter Olympics
The figure skating 1960 Winter Olympics results in Squaw Valley, California, United States.-Men's Singles:-Ladies Singles:-Pairs:-Medal table:-Men:Referee:* Rudolf MarxAssistant Referee:* Harold G. Storke...
, a three-time World champion
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
(1962–1964), five-time European champion
European Figure Skating Championships
The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion...
(1960–1964), and the six-time Dutch national champion
Dutch Figure Skating Championships
The Dutch Figure Skating Championships are a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of the Netherlands. Skaters compete in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing...
(1959–1964).
Following the retirement of Carol Heiss
Carol Heiss
Carol Elizabeth Heiss Jenkins is an American figure skater. She is the 1960 Olympic Champion in Ladies Singles, 1956 Olympic silver medalist and five-time World Champion .-Biography:...
in 1960, who took gold medals in Winter Olympics and World Championships that year to Dijkstra's silver medals in both competitions, Dijkstra became the dominant skater in Ladies Figure Skating. She won all the World and European Championships held between 1961 and 1964 (1961 World Championships was cancelled after Sabena Flight 548
Sabena Flight 548
Sabena Flight 548, registration OO-SJB, was a Boeing 707 aircraft that crashed en route to Brussels, Belgium, from New York City on February 15, 1961, killing the entire United States Figure Skating team on its way to the 1961 World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia.The flight, which...
Crash). Her win at the 1964 Winter Olympics
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
was the first gold for the Netherlands at the Winter Olympics. She is the last person to have won Olympic gold medal after winning a silver or bronze medal in a prior Olympic in Ladies Figure Skating. After 1964, she turned professional and toured with Holiday On Ice
Holiday on Ice
Holiday on Ice is an ice show currently produced by Joop van den Ende's Stage Entertainment Group with its headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands...
from 1964 to 1972. She became the advisor to the figure skating section of the Dutch Skating Federation in 1985. Currently she does commentary for Dutch television.
In 2005, she was awarded the Fanny Blankers-Koen
Fanny Blankers-Koen
Francina "Fanny" Elsje Blankers-Koen was a Dutch athlete, best known for winning four gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She accomplished this as a 30 year old mother of two, during a time when many disregarded women's athletics...
Trophy, for her contributions to Dutch sports.
Dijkstra is the daughter of Lou Dijkstra
Lou Dijkstra
Luitzen "Lou" Dijkstra was a Dutch speed skater who competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics.He was born in Paessens, Friesland....
, a speedskater who competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
.
During her competitive career, Dijkstra trained in Richmond, London with Arnold Gerschwiler
Arnold Gerschwiler
Arnold Gerschwiler OBE was a Swiss/British figure skating coach....
. While her main strength was compulsory figures
Compulsory figures
Compulsory figures or school figures were formerly an aspect of the sport of figure skating, from which the sport derives its name. Carving specific patterns or figures into the ice was the original focus of the sport. The patterns of compulsory figures all derive from the basic figure eight...
, she was also a very powerful and athletic free skater who could perform high-quality double axels
Axel jump
The Axel is a figure skating jump with a forward take-off. It is named after the Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen, who first performed the jump in 1882. An Axel jump has an extra ½ rotation in the air due to its forward take-off...
and flying spins, and who skated with easy movement and strong flow. At 1.68 metres, she was fairly tall for a skater, and one magazine article noted that "she is much more slender in person than she appears on the ice".
Results
| Event | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
12th | 2nd | 1st | ||||||||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
21st | 16th | 12th | 16th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | ||
| European Championships European Figure Skating Championships The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion... |
19th | 7th | 6th | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | ||
| Dutch Championships Dutch Figure Skating Championships The Dutch Figure Skating Championships are a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of the Netherlands. Skaters compete in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing... |
3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |