Sjoukje Dijkstra

Dutch figure skater (1942–2024)

Sjoukje Dijkstra

Dijkstra in 1965

Full name| Sjoukje Rosalinde Dijkstra
Other names| Sjoukje Kossmayer
Born| (1942-01-28)28 January 1942
Akkrum, Netherlands
Died| 2 May 2024(2024-05-02) (aged 82)
Someren, Netherlands
Height| 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Figure skating career
Country| Netherlands
Retired| 1964

Medal record

Representing  Netherlands
Olympic Games
| 1964 Innsbruck | Singles
| 1960 Squaw Valley | Singles
World Championships
| 1964 Dortmund | Singles
| 1963 Cortina d'Ampezzo | Singles
| 1962 Prague | Singles
| 1960 Vancouver | Singles
| 1959 Colorado Springs | Singles
European Championships
| 1964 Grenoble | Singles
| 1963 Budapest | Singles
| 1962 Geneva | Singles
| 1961 Berlin | Singles
| 1960 Garmisch-Partenkirchen | Singles
| 1959 Davos | Singles

Sjoukje Rosalinde Dijkstra (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɕʌukjə ˈdɛikstraː]; 28 January 1942 – 2 May 2024) was a Dutch competitive figure skater. She was the 1964 Olympic champion in ladies' singles, the 1960 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World champion (1962–1964), five-time European champion (1960–1964), and the six-time Dutch national champion (1959–1964).[1] She was the first Dutch athlete to win a Winter Olympics gold medal.[2]

## Personal life

[edit]

Sjoukje Rosalinde Dijkstra was born on 28 January 1942 in Akkrum, Netherlands. She was the daughter of Lou Dijkstra, a speed skater who competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics.[1] She married Karl Kossmayer, with whom she has two daughters, Rosalie and Katja.[3]

Dijkstra died on 2 May 2024, at the age of 82.[4]

## Career

[edit]

During the 1953–54 season, Dijkstra was awarded her first senior national medal, bronze behind Nellie Maas and Joan Haanappel,[citation needed] and was assigned to her first ISU Championship, the 1954 Europeans in Bolzano, where she placed 19th.[citation needed] She finished 12th at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

After four seasons ranked second to Haanappel, Dijkstra defeated her for the Dutch national title in the 1958–59 season.[citation needed] She also stood on ISU Championship podiums for the first time, taking silver at the 1959 Europeans and bronze at the 1959 Worlds.[citation needed]

Dijkstra won silver behind Carol Heiss at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California and at the 1960 World Championships in Vancouver.[citation needed] She became the dominant ladies' single skater after Heiss retired from competition.[citation needed]

Dijkstra won all the World and European Championships held between 1961 and 1964 (except the 1961 World Championships, which were cancelled following the Sabena Flight 548 crash). After taking her sixth consecutive national title, she went on to win gold at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. It was the first gold for the Netherlands at the Winter Olympics.[5] She is the last person to have won Olympic gold in ladies' figure skating after winning a silver or bronze medal at a prior Olympics.[citation needed]

During her competitive career, Dijkstra was coached by Arnold Gerschwiler in Richmond, London. While her main strength was compulsory figures, she was also a very powerful and athletic free skater who could perform high-quality double Axel jumps and flying spins, and who skated with easy movement and strong flow.[6][7] At 1.68 metres, she was fairly tall for a skater, and one magazine article noted that "she is much more slender in person than she appears on the ice".[6]

After 1964, Dijkstra turned professional and toured with Holiday On Ice from 1964 to 1972.[1] She became the advisor to the figure skating section of the Dutch Skating Federation in 1985. In 2005, she was awarded the Fanny Blankers-Koen Trophy for her contributions to Dutch sports. On 9 January 2014, she was inducted into the International Figure Skating Hall of Fame at a ceremony during the 2014 U.S. Championships in Boston, Massachusetts.

Dijkstra appeared as herself on 13 September 1965 episode of To Tell the Truth, receiving three of the four possible votes.[8]

## Results

[edit]

International[1][9][10]

Event  | 53–54 | 54–55  | 55–56  | 56–57  | 57–58  | 58–59  | 59–60  | 60–61  | 61–62  | 62–63  | 63–64
Olympics |  |  | 12th |  |  |  | 2nd |  |  |  | 1st
World Champ. |  | 21st | 16th | 12th | 16th | 3rd | 2nd |  | 1st | 1st | 1st
European Champ. | 19th |  | 7th |  | 6th | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st
Richmond Trophy |  | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st |  |  |  |  |
National
Dutch Champ. | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sjoukje Dijkstra.

1. ^ a b c d "Sjoukje Dijkstra". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
2. ^ "Dutch gold medalist figure skater Sjoukje Dijkstra dies at 82". ESPN. The Associated Press. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
3. ^ "Sjoukje Dijkstra nu achter de kassa" [Sjoukje Dijkstra]. De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 30 May 2001. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015.
4. ^ "Kunstschaatsicoon Sjoukje Dijkstra (82) overleden". De Telegraaf (in Dutch).
5. ^ "Netherlands: Olympic Tradition". NBC. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
6. ^ a b "Europe's World Champions... 1962", Skating magazine, June 1962
7. ^ "Lady Champion of the World", Skating magazine, June 1963
8. ^ "To Tell the Truth". CBS. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
9. ^ "World Figure Skating Championships Results: Ladies" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 June 2011.
10. ^ "European Figure Skating Championships Results: Ladies" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 June 2011.

## External links

[edit]

* Sjoukje Dijkstra at Olympedia

Awards

Preceded by

Gerrit Schulte

|  Dutch Sportswoman of the Year
1959 to 1964  | Succeeded by

Ada Kok

* v
* t
* e

Olympic figure skating champions (women's singles)

* 1908:  Madge Syers (GBR)
* 1920:  Magda Julin (SWE)
* 1924:  Herma Szabo (AUT)
* 1928:  Sonja Henie (NOR)
* 1932:  Sonja Henie (NOR)
* 1936:  Sonja Henie (NOR)
* 1948:  Barbara Ann Scott (CAN)
* 1952:  Jeannette Altwegg (GBR)
* 1956:  Tenley Albright (USA)
* 1960:  Carol Heiss (USA)
* 1964:  Sjoukje Dijkstra (NED)
* 1968:  Peggy Fleming (USA)
* 1972:  Trixi Schuba (AUT)
* 1976:  Dorothy Hamill (USA)
* 1980:  Anett Pötzsch (GDR)
* 1984:  Katarina Witt (GDR)
* 1988:  Katarina Witt (GDR)
* 1992:  Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
* 1994:  Oksana Baiul (UKR)
* 1998:  Tara Lipinski (USA)
* 2002:  Sarah Hughes (USA)
* 2006:  Shizuka Arakawa (JPN)
* 2010:  Yuna Kim (KOR)
* 2014:  Adelina Sotnikova (RUS)
* 2018:  Alina Zagitova (OAR)
* 2022:  Anna Shcherbakova (ROC)

* v
* t
* e

World figure skating champions (women's singles)

* 1906–07:  Madge Syers
* 1908, 09, 10–11:  Lily Kronberger
* 1912, 13–14:  Opika von Méray Horváth
* 1922, 23, 24, 25–26:  Herma Szabo
* 1927, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35–36:  Sonja Henie
* 1937:  Cecilia Colledge
* 1938–39:  Megan Taylor
* 1947–48:  Barbara Ann Scott
* 1949–50:  Alena Vrzáňová
* 1951:  Jeannette Altwegg
* 1952:  Jacqueline du Bief
* 1953:  Tenley Albright
* 1954:  Gundi Busch
* 1955:  Tenley Albright
* 1956, 57, 58–59:  Carol Heiss
* 1960:  Carol Heiss
* 1962, 63–64:  Sjoukje Dijkstra
* 1965:  Petra Burka
* 1966, 67–68:  Peggy Fleming
* 1969–70:  Gabriele Seyfert
* 1971–72:  Trixi Schuba
* 1973:  Karen Magnussen
* 1974:  Christine Errath
* 1975:  Dianne de Leeuw
* 1976:  Dorothy Hamill
* 1977:  Linda Fratianne
* 1978:  Anett Pötzsch
* 1979:  Linda Fratianne
* 1980:  Anett Pötzsch
* 1981:  Denise Biellmann
* 1982:  Elaine Zayak
* 1983:  Rosalynn Sumners
* 1984–85:  Katarina Witt
* 1986:  Debi Thomas
* 1987–88:  Katarina Witt
* 1989:  Midori Ito
* 1990:  Jill Trenary
* 1991–92:  Kristi Yamaguchi
* 1993:  Oksana Baiul
* 1994:  Yuka Sato
* 1995:  Chen Lu
* 1996:  Michelle Kwan
* 1997:  Tara Lipinski
* 1998:  Michelle Kwan
* 1999:  Maria Butyrskaya
* 2000–01:  Michelle Kwan
* 2002:  Irina Slutskaya
* 2003:  Michelle Kwan
* 2004:  Shizuka Arakawa
* 2005:  Irina Slutskaya
* 2006:  Kimmie Meissner
* 2007:  Miki Ando
* 2008:  Mao Asada
* 2009:  Yuna Kim
* 2010:  Mao Asada
* 2011:  Miki Ando
* 2012:  Carolina Kostner
* 2013:  Yuna Kim
* 2014:  Mao Asada
* 2015:  Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
* 2016–17:  Evgenia Medvedeva
* 2018:  Kaetlyn Osmond
* 2019:  Alina Zagitova
* 2021:  Anna Shcherbakova
* 2022, 23–24:  Kaori Sakamoto

* v
* t
* e

European figure skating champions (women's singles)

* 1930:  Fritzi Burger
* 1931:  Sonja Henie
* 1932:  Sonja Henie
* 1933:  Sonja Henie
* 1934:  Sonja Henie
* 1935:  Sonja Henie
* 1936:  Sonja Henie
* 1937:  Cecilia Colledge
* 1938:  Cecilia Colledge
* 1939:  Cecilia Colledge
* 1947:  Barbara Ann Scott
* 1948:  Barbara Ann Scott
* 1949:  Eva Pawlik
* 1950:  Alena Vrzáňová
* 1951:  Jeannette Altwegg
* 1952:  Jeannette Altwegg
* 1953:  Valda Osborn
* 1954:  Gundi Busch
* 1955:  Hanna Eigel
* 1956:  Ingrid Wendl
* 1957:  Hanna Eigel
* 1958:  Ingrid Wendl
* 1959:  Hanna Walter
* 1960:  Sjoukje Dijkstra
* 1961:  Sjoukje Dijkstra
* 1962:  Sjoukje Dijkstra
* 1963:  Sjoukje Dijkstra
* 1964:  Sjoukje Dijkstra
* 1965:  Regine Heitzer
* 1966:  Regine Heitzer
* 1967:  Gabriele Seyfert
* 1968:  Hana Mašková
* 1969:  Gabriele Seyfert
* 1970:  Gabriele Seyfert
* 1971:  Trixi Schuba
* 1972:  Trixi Schuba
* 1973:  Christine Errath
* 1974:  Christine Errath
* 1975:  Christine Errath
* 1976:  Dianne de Leeuw
* 1977:  Anett Pötzsch
* 1978:  Anett Pötzsch
* 1979:  Anett Pötzsch
* 1980:  Anett Pötzsch
* 1981:  Denise Biellmann
* 1982:  Claudia Kristofics-Binder
* 1983:  Katarina Witt
* 1984:  Katarina Witt
* 1985:  Katarina Witt
* 1986:  Katarina Witt
* 1987:  Katarina Witt
* 1988:  Katarina Witt
* 1989:  Claudia Leistner
* 1990:  Evelyn Großmann
* 1991:  Surya Bonaly
* 1992:  Surya Bonaly
* 1993:  Surya Bonaly
* 1994:  Surya Bonaly
* 1995:  Surya Bonaly
* 1996:  Irina Slutskaya
* 1997:  Irina Slutskaya
* 1998:  Maria Butyrskaya
* 1999:  Maria Butyrskaya
* 2000:  Irina Slutskaya
* 2001:  Irina Slutskaya
* 2002:  Maria Butyrskaya
* 2003:  Irina Slutskaya
* 2004:  Júlia Sebestyén
* 2005:  Irina Slutskaya
* 2006:  Irina Slutskaya
* 2007:  Carolina Kostner
* 2008:  Carolina Kostner
* 2009:  Laura Lepistö
* 2010:  Carolina Kostner
* 2011:  Sarah Meier
* 2012:  Carolina Kostner
* 2013:  Carolina Kostner
* 2014:  Yulia Lipnitskaya
* 2015:  Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
* 2016:  Evgenia Medvedeva
* 2017:  Evgenia Medvedeva
* 2018:  Alina Zagitova
* 2019:  Sofia Samodurova
* 2020:  Alena Kostornaia
* 2022:  Anna Shcherbakova
* 2023:  Anastasia Gubanova
* 2024:  Loena Hendrickx

* v
* t
* e

Dutch champions in figure skating – Women's singles

* 1950: Rietje van Erkel
* 1951–1953: Lidy Stoppelman
* 1954: Nellie Maas
* 1955–1958: Joan Haanappel
* 1959–1964: Sjoukje Dijkstra
* 1965: Madeleine Hendriks
* 1966–1968: Anneke Heijdt
* 1969–1970: Lia Does
* 1971–1976: Dianne de Leeuw
* 1977: Anne-Marie Verlaan
* 1978–1980: Astrid Jansen in de Wal
* 1981: Rudina Pasveer
* 1982: Ingrid Aalders
* 1983–1984: Li Scha Wang
* 1985: Tjin Li Wang
* 1986–1987: Li Scha Wang
* 1988: Astrid Winkelman
* 1989: Jeltje Schulten
* 1990: Astrid Winkelman
* 1991–1992: Marion Krijgsman
* 1993–1995: Monique van der Velden
* 1996: Georgina de Wit
* 1997: Selma Duijn
* 1998–1999: Marion Krijgsman
* 2000–2008: Karen Venhuizen
* 2009–2010: Manouk Gijsman
* 2011: Joyce den Hollander
* 2012: Manouk Gijsman
* 2013: Michelle Couwenberg
* 2014: Eva Lim
* 2015–2020: Niki Wories
* 2021–2023: Lindsay Van Zundert

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* Netherlands

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