Willy den Ouden
Encyclopedia
Willemijntje "Willy" den Ouden (1 January 1918, Rotterdam
– 6 December 1997, Rotterdam) was a freestyle
swimmer from the Netherlands
, who held the world record for the 100 m freestyle swimming
for nearly 23 years, from 1933 to 1956.
Den Ouden first came in the international limelight when she participated at the 1932 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles
and won two of the five contestable silver medals in swimming, an accomplishment that attracted wide attention as at the age of 14 she was also the youngest participant. Four years later at the 1936 Summer Olympics
in Berlin
, she and her compatriots Tini Wagner
, Rie Mastenbroek
and Jopie Selbach
won the gold medal in the women's 4×100 m freestyle relay.
However, den Ouden was far more successful between these two Olympic games. On July 9, 1933 in Antwerp, she broke Helene Madison
's two-year old world record on the 100 m freestyle
, setting it at 1:06.0. She would improve on this three times, reaching 1:04.6 on Feb 27, 1936 in Amsterdam
. This record would last until 1956 when its was broken twice within ten days by Dawn Fraser
and Cocky Gastelaars, respectively. Thus, she held the world record on the prime distance in swimming for an unequalled 22 years and 8 months.
Den Ouden further broke the world records on the 200 m freestyle
(three times between 1933 and 1936), the 400 m freestyle
(in 1934), and the now defunct distances of 100 yd, 200 yd, 300 yd, 400 yd, and 500 m freestyle. She was also the anchor swimmer for the Dutch relay teams that broke the 4×100 m freestyle relay record in 1934 and in 1936. On February 4, 1934, she became the first woman to swim 100 yards in under a minute (59.8 seconds).
She retire from competitive swimming in May 1937, at the age of 19.
Her parental house was destroyed on May 14, 1940 in the bombing of Rotterdam during the German invasion of the Netherlands. All her medals and prizes were lost in the event. After the war she lived in Sweden
for many years. Married 1944 with the Swedish singer Staffan Broms.
Den Ouden was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
in 1970.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
– 6 December 1997, Rotterdam) was a freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
swimmer from the 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...
, who held the world record for the 100 m freestyle swimming
World record progression 100 metres freestyle
The first world record in the men's 100 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1905...
for nearly 23 years, from 1933 to 1956.
Den Ouden first came in the international limelight when she participated at the 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and won two of the five contestable silver medals in swimming, an accomplishment that attracted wide attention as at the age of 14 she was also the youngest participant. Four years later at the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, she and her compatriots Tini Wagner
Tini Wagner
Catharina "Tini" Wilhelmina Wagner was a freestyle swimmer from the Netherlands, who represented her native country at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany.She was born in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland....
, Rie Mastenbroek
Rie Mastenbroek
Hendrika "Rie" Wilhelmina Mastenbroek was a Dutch swimmer and a triple Olympic champion.-Biography:...
and Jopie Selbach
Jopie Selbach
Johanna "Jopie" Katarina Selbach was a freestyle swimmer from the Netherlands. At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany she won the gold medal in the women's 4×100 m freestyle relay, alongside Willy den Ouden, Rie Mastenbroek and Tini Wagner.She was born in Haarlem and died in...
won the gold medal in the women's 4×100 m freestyle relay.
However, den Ouden was far more successful between these two Olympic games. On July 9, 1933 in Antwerp, she broke Helene Madison
Helene Madison
Helene Madison was an American swimmer. She won three gold medals in freestyle at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games, becoming, along with Romeo Neri of Italy, the most successful athlete there. She was born in Madison, Wisconsin.In sixteen months in 1930 and 1931, she broke sixteen world records in...
's two-year old world record on the 100 m freestyle
World record progression 100 metres freestyle
The first world record in the men's 100 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1905...
, setting it at 1:06.0. She would improve on this three times, reaching 1:04.6 on Feb 27, 1936 in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. This record would last until 1956 when its was broken twice within ten days by Dawn Fraser
Dawn Fraser
Dawn Fraser AO, MBE is an Australian champion swimmer. She is one of only two swimmers to win the same Olympic event three times – in her case the 100 meters freestyle....
and Cocky Gastelaars, respectively. Thus, she held the world record on the prime distance in swimming for an unequalled 22 years and 8 months.
Den Ouden further broke the world records on the 200 m freestyle
World record progression 200 metres freestyle
This is a history of the World Record in the 200 Freestyle swimming event. Swimming World Records are recognized by FINA in either long-course or short-course pool courses....
(three times between 1933 and 1936), the 400 m freestyle
World record progression 400 metres freestyle
The first world record in the men's 400 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1908. In the short course swimming events the world's governing body recognizes world records since 3 March 1991.-Long course:-Short course:-Long...
(in 1934), and the now defunct distances of 100 yd, 200 yd, 300 yd, 400 yd, and 500 m freestyle. She was also the anchor swimmer for the Dutch relay teams that broke the 4×100 m freestyle relay record in 1934 and in 1936. On February 4, 1934, she became the first woman to swim 100 yards in under a minute (59.8 seconds).
She retire from competitive swimming in May 1937, at the age of 19.
Her parental house was destroyed on May 14, 1940 in the bombing of Rotterdam during the German invasion of the Netherlands. All her medals and prizes were lost in the event. After the war she lived in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
for many years. Married 1944 with the Swedish singer Staffan Broms.
Den Ouden was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
in 1970.