Dutch Olympic legend Sjoukje Dijkstra dies at 82

Per ESPN, Dijkstra passed away at her home on Thursday, May 2nd.

Per a post from Sjoukje Dijkstra’s daughter, Katja Kossmayer Dijkstra, on Facebook, the former gold medallist, “passed away peacefully at home.”

Sjoukje Dijkstra, a figure skater, won a gold medal at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

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Per NBC Sports, Dijkstra’s win in Austria made her the first Dutch athlete to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.

Herman de Haan, the director of the Dutch Skating Association, released a statement saying, “She won everything, besides Olympic gold: three world championships, five European titles and six times she was the Dutch champion.”

Dijkstra came from a sporting background, with her father competing in speed skating. Despite initially following in her father’s footsteps, Sjoukje committed to figure skating at an early age.

The Dutch royal family released a statement, saying, “With her phenomenal jumping power, she [Dijkstra] managed to amaze the skating world and everyone outside of it.”

The statement continues, “She was the first Dutch person ever to win gold at the Winter Olympics – and became a legend. Her fantastic achievements are etched in our memories.”

Per NBC Sports, Dijkstra’s achievements remain unmatched by her countrymen, with no other Dutch competitor winning a figure skating medal at the Winter Olympics.

The Dutch National Olympic Committee also released a statement, saying, “Sjoukje Dijkstra was a figure skating legend. An icon, there is no other word. With her death, an era really comes to an end.”

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