Geertje Wielema (24 July 1934 – 18 August 2009) was a

freestyle Freestyle may refer to: Brands * Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe * Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile * Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine * Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott Laboritories Media * '' FreeStyle'', ...

and

backstroke Backstroke or back crawl is one of the four Swimming (sport), swimming styles used in competitive events regulated by FINA, and the only one of these styles swum on the back. This swimming style has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disa ...

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

from the Netherlands, who won the silver medal at the

1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics (, ), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad (, ) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952, were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. After Japan declared in ...

in the 100 m backstroke. In 1954 she won three medals at European championships and was named Holland's first female Sportspersonality of the Year. She missed the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne due to their boycott by the Netherlands, but continued swimming until late 1950s and later served as a swimming judge. Between 1950 and 1954 she set five world records in medley relay and individual backstroke events.Geertje Wielema
. zwemmenindepolder.nl

References

1934 births 2009 deaths Dutch female backstroke swimmers Dutch female freestyle swimmers World record setters in swimming Olympic silver medalists for the Netherlands Olympic swimmers for the Netherlands Swimmers at the 1952 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1952 Summer Olympics Sportspeople from Hilversum Swimmers from North Holland European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming Olympic silver medalists in swimming 20th-century Dutch sportswomen {{Netherlands-swimming-bio-stub