INGE DE BRUIJN, <br>FOUR-TIME OLYMPIC CHAMPION

"Your eyes are the reflection of your soul. That's what my mother always said. She raised the family of four children on her own after she left my father. My mother has really been one of my most important pillars" – Inge de Bruijn, four-time Olympic champion, talks about this fact and her other pillars in life. Who gave her the fighting spirit?

“Your eyes are the reflection of your soul. That's what my mother always said. She raised the family of four children on her own after she left my father. My mother has really been one of my most important wheelbarrows” – Inge de Bruijn, four-time Olympic champion, talks about this fact and her other wheelbarrows in life. Who gave her the fighting mentality? Text: Mical Joseph and Jorg Bressers
Image: Mike van den Toorn

What was your very first job?

“I delivered newspapers and leaflets together with my twin sister. We made it a game to get done as quickly as possible, each in his own neighborhood. Jumping through the neighborhood, over the boxwoods, to get done as quickly as possible. My mother was a single mother on welfare. She always said to us: 'if you want to earn money, you have to work for it'. So we did that too. I really get her perseverance from her. During the summer holidays we would pick tomatoes or strawberries. We liked that too.”

How did you end up in your current job?

“I have been swimming since I was seven. I had talent and I really enjoyed it. When I was eleven, I received an invitation from the swimming association to go to a competition abroad. Well, I was nervous about that for weeks! I had never flown before, we had no money for that at home. I ended up living in America for ten years and training to become the best. It was just training, eating, sleeping, far away from everyone. Quite lonely. I had a super strict coach Paul Bergen, but I needed that to be successful.”

Who was your wheelbarrow in that?

“Those are two trainers: Sjef Sluijters was my first trainer in Barendrecht. He said: 'If you are good enough at training in the evening, you can also train in the morning'. Sjef saw the talent in me and I was allowed to come in the morning immediately after the first evening training. Sjef had told my mother that I had talent, but my mother did not immediately believe that. She thought Sjef said that to everyone. But his words of praise gave me a boost and made me try even harder.

The other wheelbarrow was my American coach: Paul Bergen. He taught me that you should always push your own boundaries and that you can do more than you think. I got a pat on the back or compliment from him maybe once every three months. You should always compliment a child, you can be critical of a professional and that was him. This made me very critical of myself.”

What is your greatest passion in your profession?

“Swimming remains my passion. That's still there. I still give clinics and I like that I am a source of inspiration for others. Nowadays I am also active online and am asked to promote things: from beauty to fashion to travel. The latter is also a passion of mine, which is why I hope to be able to make many more trips. If I hadn't become a swimmer, I would have wanted to become a flight attendant.”

What has been the biggest learning moment in your career?

“You first have to face all the setbacks to ultimately win something, through trial and error and never giving up. If you give it your all, you won't lose gold, but then you win silver: then you can't lose. This also applies, for example, in business. When you finally win gold and hear the Wilhelmus and see your mother sitting there, then yes, you know what you did it for. You cannot put into words what you feel. All the pieces of the puzzle are coming together, which is indescribable.

The best compliment I received was that I have become a nicer person after my career. Only much later did I realize that I had led quite a self-centered life during my career: everyone aside, this is my goal. You need that attitude to win. Fortunately, I am now much more concerned with people, much more emotionally. I am now aware of my surroundings.”

What advice would your 18-year-old self give?

“You have to stay close to yourself and not give up, never. And you have to want to keep learning. This is not only when you are twelve, but also later in life. Even when I was already an Olympic champion, I continued to watch other swimmers. You have to keep learning. I also always advise keeping a diary. It goes so quickly, it's a good idea to write things down. Even if it's just for a memory for later. I did that before and in most cases there were sad smileys. It always had to be better! At the same time, you have to do what you do with passion. You can't do anything without passion: if it isn't there, you won't achieve success.”

Have you been a wheelbarrow for someone?

“In the field of swimming, I share my experience and knowledge with others. And I also notice in the business world that I inspire people with lectures. If I can help a little bit with that, I'm already a happy person. I was always the inquisitive girl who wanted to do well and found her way to the top. I now share those experiences.”