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Fanny Blankers-Koen

Full name: Francina Elsje "Fanny" Blankers-Koen
Gender: Female
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Weight: 139 lbs (63 kg)
Born: April 26, 1918 in Baarn, Utrecht, Netherlands
Died: January 25, 2004 in Hoofddorp, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Affiliations: Sagitta, Amsterdam (NED) / ADA, Amsterdam (NED)
Country: NED Netherlands
Sport: Athletics

Related Olympians: Wife of Jan Blankers.

Medals: 4 Gold (4 Total)

Biography

Fanny Blankers-Koen was an outstanding all around athlete who made her Olympic début in 1936. She had started to compete in athletics only the year before, when she broke the national record in the 800 m. In Berlin, however, she competed in the relay and high jump, under her maiden name Koen. A first-time medallist at the 1938 European Championships (100 and 200 m), she missed chances at Olympic success in 1940 and 1944. In this period, she married her coach Jan Blankers (an Olympic triple jumper in 1928), and had two children. However, she also managed to break several world records, both in individual and team events. The most remarkable was the record in the 4 × 200 m relay, which was previously held by a German team. The Dutch team wore national outfitsn during the race as a minor act of defiance.

At the age of 30, she entered four events in London. She would have entered the high jump and long jump as well, but bad experiences with too many events at the 1946 European Championships kept the world record holder from contesting those events. She dominated the four events she did compete in, although she had to combat a bout of home sickness and scared the Dutch relay team when she entered the stadium late after going shopping.

Blankers-Koen also won five European titles in 1946 (80 metres hurdles and 4×100 m relay (with Gerda Koudijs, Nettie Timmer, and the non-Olympian Marta Adema)) and 1950 (100 m, 200 m, 80 m hurdles). In 1946 Blankers-Koen also finished fourth in the high jump and in 1950 she also won a silver medal with the 4×100 m relay team (with Xenia Stad-de Jong, Puck Brouwer, and Gré de Jongh), and won 58 national championships in the Netherlands. For her sporting feats, a statue was erected in her honor in her home town Amsterdam. In 1999, she was elected as "Female athlete of the Century" by the IAAF.

Personal Bests: 100 - 11.5 (1943); 200 - 23.9 (1952); 80H - 11.0 (1948); HJ - 1.71 (1943).

Results

Glossary ▪ CSV ▪ PRE
Games Age City Sport Event Team NOC Rank Medal
1936 Summer 18 Berlin Athletics Women's 4 × 100 metres Relay Netherlands NED 5
1936 Summer 18 Berlin Athletics Women's High Jump Netherlands NED 6T
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Women's 100 metres Netherlands NED 1 Gold
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Women's 200 metres Netherlands NED 1 Gold OR
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Women's 80 metres Hurdles Netherlands NED 1 Gold OR
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Women's 4 × 100 metres Relay Netherlands NED 1 Gold
1952 Summer 34 Helsinki Athletics Women's 100 metres Netherlands NED 2 h2r2/4
1952 Summer 34 Helsinki Athletics Women's 80 metres Hurdles Netherlands NED AC

Women's 100 metres

Glossary ▪ Event History ▪ CSV ▪ PRE ▪ Mouseover for column descriptions
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank T(H) T(A) L
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands Final 1 =OR 11.9 12.2 3
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands Semi-Finals Heat One 1 QU 12.0 12.3
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands Round One Heat One 1 QU 12.0 12.1
1952 Summer 34 Helsinki Athletics Netherlands Quarter-Finals Heat Two 2 QU 12.0 12.22
1952 Summer 34 Helsinki Athletics Netherlands Round One Heat Eleven 1 QU 11.9 12.18

Women's 200 metres

Glossary ▪ Event History ▪ CSV ▪ PRE ▪ Mouseover for column descriptions
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank T(H) T(A) L
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands Final 1 OR 24.4 24.4 2
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands Semi-Finals Heat One 1 QU/OR 24.3 24.4
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands Round One Heat One 1 QU/OR 25.7 25.9

Women's 80 metres Hurdles

Glossary ▪ Event History ▪ CSV ▪ PRE ▪ Mouseover for column descriptions
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank T(H) T(A) L
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands Final 1 OR 11.2 11.4 2
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands Semi-Finals Heat One 1 QU 11.4 11.5
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands Round One Heat One 1 QU/OR 11.3 11.4
1952 Summer 34 Helsinki Athletics Netherlands Final AC DNF 2
1952 Summer 34 Helsinki Athletics Netherlands Semi-Finals Heat Two 2 QU 11.3 11.42
1952 Summer 34 Helsinki Athletics Netherlands Round One Heat Two 1 QU 11.2 11.34

Women's 4 × 100 metres Relay

Glossary ▪ Event History ▪ CSV ▪ PRE ▪ Mouseover for column descriptions
Games Age City Sport Team NOC Phase Unit Rank T(H) T(A) L T
1936 Summer 18 Berlin Athletics Netherlands NED Final 5 6 48.8
1936 Summer 18 Berlin Athletics Netherlands NED Round One Heat One 3 QU 48.4
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands NED Final 1 47.5 47.6 5
1948 Summer 30 London Athletics Netherlands NED Round One Heat Three 1 QU 47.6 47.6

Women's High Jump

Glossary ▪ Event History ▪ CSV ▪ PRE ▪ Mouseover for column descriptions
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank C/F/P H
1936 Summer 18 Berlin Athletics Netherlands Final Round 6T 1.55
1936 Summer 18 Berlin Athletics Netherlands Final Round 1.30 metres 1T o
1936 Summer 18 Berlin Athletics Netherlands Final Round 1.40 metres 1T o
1936 Summer 18 Berlin Athletics Netherlands Final Round 1.50 metres 1T o
1936 Summer 18 Berlin Athletics Netherlands Final Round 1.55 metres 1T o
1936 Summer 18 Berlin Athletics Netherlands Final Round 1.58 metres 6T xxx