Rie Mastenbroek

Champion swimmer Rie Mastenbroek was born Hendrika Wilhelmina Mastenbroek on February 26, 1919 in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. Rie began swimming under the coaching of "Ma" Braun. Mastenbroek won three gold medals and a silver medal at the European Championships in 1934. At age seventeen Rie won three additional gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, Germany in the 100 meters freestyle, 400 meters freestyle, and the 4x100 meters freestyle. Moreover, Mastenbroek won a silver medal after she finished second behind teammate Neda Senff in the 100 meters backstroke. Mastenbroek became a swimming instructor the following year; this caused her to lose her amateur status and thus made herself ineligible to participate in further competitions. However, during her brief, yet impressive athletic career Rie nonetheless broke nine world records, with six for backstroke and three for freestyle. Mastenbroek was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1968 and received the Olympic Order in Silver in 1997. Rie died at age 84 on November 6, 2003.