UUers in search of paralympic success
Paralympic champion Sanne Voets. Photo: Mathilde Dusol
“We're going for an upgrade”, said wheelchair basketball player Bo Kramer in an interview with DUB this week. Kramer, who finished the pre-Master's in Clinical Health Sciences this year, already has a bronze medal representing the Dutch team in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, in 2016. He was 17 years old.
His team mate Carina de Rooij– Versloot, another UU alumnus who got her Bachelor's in Psychology in 2008, is participating in the Paralympic Games for the fifth time. She's hoping for a podium this year, after finishing third in Rio and London. As the reining world champion, the Dutch team is one of the favourites in Tokyo.
Amazone Sanne Voets, who obtained her UU degree in Communication Sciences in 2009, is hoping to win her second golden medal in a row in Tokyo. Together with her horse Demantur, she finished first in Rio in the modality of equestrian dressing.
Five years ago, DUs published a list of athletes who have taken part in the Paralympic Games and also studied at UU. This time, we can add Bo Kramer to the list.
Nico Blok / Table tennis
Chantal Boonacker / Swimming
Korie Homan / Wheelchair tennis
Bo Kramer / Wheelchair basketball
Marc Londo / Table tennis
Marion Nijhof / Swimming
Roos Oosterbaan / Wheelchair basketball
Fleur Pieterse / Wheelchair basketball
Elvira Stinissen / Sitting Volleyball
Rutger Sturkenboom / Swimming
Sanne Timmerman / Wheelchair basketball
Sanneke Vermeulen / Judo
Carina Versloot / Wheelchair basketball
Sanne Voets / Para-equestrian
Medal count
If Sanne Voets succeeds in winning a gold medal once again in Tokyo, she will displace wheelchair tennis player Korie Homan in our Paralympic medal count for UUers. Here's what it looks like now:
| Korie Homan (wheelchair tennis) | gold and silver |
| Sanne Voets (equestrian dressing) | gold |
| Rutger Sturkenboom (swimming) | 5 silver medals, 4 bronze medals |
| Marion Nijhof (swimming) | 1 silver medal and 3 bronze medals |
| Chantal Boonacker (swimming) | 2 bronze medals |
| Roos Oosterbaan (wheelchair basketball) | 2 bronze medals |
| Sanne Timmerman (wheelchair basketball) | 2 bronze medals |
| Carina Versloot (wheelchair basketball) | 2 bronze medals |
| Nico Blok (table tennis) | bronze |
| Bo Kramer (wheelchair basketball) | bronze |
| Elvira Stinissen (sitting volleybal) | bronze |
| Sanneke Vermeulen (judo) | bronze |
*We're aware that this list might not be missing a few names. Can you help us complete it? Then please send an e-mail to dubredactie@uu.nl