Inge de Bruijn

Dutch sprint swimmer nicknamed 'Invincible Inky' who set world records in the 50m and 100m freestyle and butterfly in 2000 and won three individual gold medals at the Sydney Olympics.

Born in Barendrecht, Netherlands, on 24 August 1973, Inge de Bruijn competed at her first Olympics in Barcelona in 1992 with little success, finishing eighth in both her individual events, and did not qualify for the 1996 Atlanta Games. Demotivated, she nearly stepped away from the sport before connecting with coach Paul Bergen in Portland, Oregon, a partnership that transformed her career. In the spring of 2000, at age 26, de Bruijn embarked on one of swimming's most remarkable hot streaks, breaking or equalling seven world records in a matter of weeks across the 50m and 100m freestyle and butterfly. At the Sydney Olympics that September, she won three individual gold medals — the 50m and 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly — setting world records in all three, and added a silver in the relay. Her dominance at an age considered advanced for a sprinter, following the doping scandals of the 1990s, drew scrutiny, though she was never sanctioned. De Bruijn was named World Swimmer of the Year in both 2000 and 2001 and continued winning world titles through the early 2000s, successfully defending her 50m freestyle and butterfly titles at the 2003 World Championships. At the Athens 2004 Olympics, aged 31, she won a fourth individual Olympic gold in the 50m freestyle, along with a silver and two bronzes. De Bruijn is regarded as the most successful athlete in Dutch sporting history, with 11 individual world records and eight Olympic medals across two Games. Her twin sister and younger brother both competed for the Dutch national water polo teams.

Explosive sprint freestyle and butterfly specialist

Regarded as the most successful athlete in Dutch sporting history