:quality(80)/cdn-kiosk-api.telegraaf.nl/7264a772-f40f-11eb-b713-02d2fb1aa1d7.jpg "Sailors Bekkering and Duetz fight for bronze medal | Sport")
sport">Bekkering (29 years, height: 1.62 meters) and Duetz (28 years, height: 1.80 meters) started the battle for the medals with as many points as the Brazilian title defenders Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze. However, the differences with the teams below were nil, so that the medal race promised to be an exceptionally exciting spectacle.
sport">The patience of the Dutch sailing duo, which finished seventh in Rio de Janeiro five years ago, was put to the test on the coast of sweltering Enoshima. Their medal race in the 49erFX was postponed by a day on Monday due to the virtual lack of wind. ,,We are used to this, but a day like this is very charged,’ acknowledged Bekkering. “We were all set to race.”
sport">The much-discussed tour eventually started 24 hours later than planned and it became exciting. In the end, under beautiful conditions in the Pacific, it resulted in a meager ninth place for the Dutch duo in the medal race. That was still good for third place in the final standings. Grael and Kunze took off with the coveted gold. Bekkering and Duetz never came close to the Brazilian phenomena.
:quality(50)/cdn-kiosk-api.telegraaf.nl/729fe5f8-f40f-11eb-b713-02d2fb1aa1d7.jpg)
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Annemiek Bekkering and Annette Duetz
Ⓒ ANP/HH
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sport">The 49’er is also called the royal class of sailing. With its swords and little resistance, it is a spectacular track, reaching speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour. Teamwork and communication between helmsman and crew are essential on the slender skiff boat, which in high winds becomes almost an untameable craft that prefers to throw its riders overboard. ,,You are surfing the waves with the boat during the race”, Bekkering described last weekend.
sport">Bekkering and Duetz are relatively unknown athletes in Tokyo, they have been in the shadow of other sailing toppers such as Marit Bouwmeester and Kiran Badloe for years. And that while in addition to their Olympic performance in Japan, they are also two-time world champions in the 49erFX class. Bekkering and Duetz are the first 49erFX sailors ever to win the world title twice in a row. In addition to their lives as professional sportsmen and women, they both follow a tough education. Bekkering recently completed her studies in Human Movement Sciences, Duetz is studying Applied Physics. Duetz: ,,Although I haven’t looked at it for a while now…”
sport">The Dutch sailing team is so far on three medals in Japan. Kiran Badloe won the gold in the RS:X class on Saturday, Marit Bouwmeester had to settle for bronze in the Laser Radial a day later.
Good Games already
sport">The Netherlands has already won nineteen medals in Tokyo, just as many as during the previous Games in Rio de Janeiro in total. TeamNL has won five golds and took seven silver and seven bronze medals.
sport">In any case, a medal will be added from boxer Nouchka Fontijn, who is already certain of bronze in the class up to 75 kilograms. In the final days of the Games, it must become clear whether that will possibly be gold or silver.
sport">Check it out here full program of TeamNL on Monday August 2
sport">look at here the medal mirror
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