Johan Bontekoe (1 July 1943 – 25 March 2006) was a Dutch freestyle

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 ...

who won a gold medal in the 400 meter event at the

1962 European Aquatics Championships The 1962 European Aquatics Championships were held in Leipzig, East Germany from 18 to 25 August 1962. Titles were contested in swimming, diving and water polo (men). In the men's swimming program, the 100 m backstroke had been replaced by the 20 ...

. This was the second ever European gold medal for a Dutch male swimmer after 1938 ( Kees Hoving). He also competed in the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subseq ...

but failed to reach the finals. Meanwhile, he was the leading middle and long-distance freestyle swimmer in the Netherlands, winning almost all 200–1500 m events and setting 28 national records between 1960 and 1964. After retiring, he worked in a bank, but also remained associated with the Dutch swimming federation. He suffered from ill health in his last years, and died of pneumonia at the age 62.Johan Bontekoe
. sports-reference
. zwemmenindepolder.nl

References

1943 births 2006 deaths Dutch male freestyle swimmers Olympic swimmers for the Netherlands Swimmers at the 1964 Summer Olympics Sportspeople from Assen European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming 20th-century Dutch sportsmen {{Netherlands-swimming-bio-stub