The Netherlands competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. Dutch athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games since its official debut in 1908. Netherlands, however, boycotted the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, because of the Soviet invasion of Hungary. The Netherlands National Olympic Committee sent a total of 210 athletes to the Games, 134 men and 76 women, to compete in 21 sports. Baseball, field hockey, and men's volleyball were the only team-based sports in which the Netherlands had its representation at these Games. There was only a single competitor in women's fencing.
Laura ("Laurien") Eveline Gales-Willemse is a former Dutch field hockey defender, who won the golden medal with the National Women's Team at the 1984 Summer Olympics. She played club hockey for NMHC Nijmegen and HGC from Wassenaar.
The Netherlands' national women's field hockey team is currently number one on the International Hockey Federation (FIH) world rankings and the reigning world champion. The Netherlands is the most successful team in World Cup history, having won the title a record nine times. The team has also won nine Olympic medals.
Lisanne Freya de Roever is a Dutch field hockey player who plays as a goalkeeper for Dutch club SV Kampong. She made her debut for the Netherlands national team on 5 March 2005 in a friendly match against Malaysia.
Chantal de Bruijn is a Dutch field hockey defender who has played for Dutch clubs Shinty, SV Kampong and Amsterdam. She made her debut for the Netherlands national team on 21 August 2001 against New Zealand. De Bruijn was a member of the Dutch squad that won the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She was also part of the Dutch squad that became world champions at the 2006 Women's Hockey World Cup.
Naomi van As is a Dutch field hockey player who plays as a forward/midfield for a Dutch club MHC Laren.
Sylvia Jeanne Alice Karres is a retired Dutch field hockey player who played as an attacker for Dutch club Amsterdam and the Netherlands national team.
Kim Lammers is a Dutch field hockey player who plays as a striker for Dutch club Laren. She also plays for the Netherlands national team. She was part of the Dutch squad that became world champions at the 2006 Women's Hockey World Cup and won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Wieke Elisabeth Henriëtte Dijkstra is a Dutch field hockey player, who plays as midfielder for Dutch club Laren.
Jiske Snoeks is a Dutch field hockey player who plays as an attacker for Dutch club Amsterdam. She also plays for the Netherlands national team.
Marianne ("Miek") Antoinette van Geenhuizen is a Dutch field hockey player who played as an attacker for Dutch clubs Oranje Zwart, HC Den Bosch and Laren. Currently she is playing for Amsterdam.
Johanna "Janneke" Dorotheo Maria Schopman is a former Dutch field hockey player who played as a defender for Dutch club HC Den Bosch and the Netherlands national team. She last served as the head coach of the Indian women's national field hockey team.
Sophie Polkamp is a Dutch field hockey player, who played as defender for Dutch club Stichtse Cricket en Hockey Club and later for Amsterdamsche Hockey & Bandy Club (AHBC).
Maartje Goderie is a Dutch field hockey player, who plays as forward for Dutch club HC Den Bosch. She also plays for the Netherlands national team and she was part of the Dutch squad that became World Champion at the 2006 Women's Hockey World Cup and which won the 2007 Champions Trophy.
Maartje Yvonne Helene Paumen is a former Dutch field hockey player. She is currently the assistant coach for Dutch club MOP. She previously played for Dutch clubs Oranje Zwart and HC Den Bosch and Belgian club Royal Antwerp. She also played for the Netherlands national team and she was part of the Dutch squad that became world champions at the 2006 Women's Hockey World Cup in Madrid and the 2014 Women's Hockey World Cup in The Hague. She also won the 2007 Champions Trophy and the 2011 Champions Trophy. With 195 goals in 235 games, she is the all-time top scorer for the Dutch national team. She is also the all-time top scorer in the national Dutch hockey league, the Hoofdklasse.
The Netherlands competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. This was announced in an official statement on the NOC*NSF website. In the statement they named the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games as a highlight in sports to which a lot of sportspeople, coaches and the Dutch sports fans would look forward. The Netherlands aimed for a top 10 nations ranking in the Olympics as well as a top 25 ranking in the Paralympics; they ended up ranking 12th at the Games.
The women's field hockey tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics was the 8th edition of the field hockey event for women at the Summer Olympic Games. It was held over a thirteen-day period beginning on 10 August, and culminating with the medal finals on 22 August. All games were played at the hockey field constructed on the Olympic Green in Beijing, China.
Nijmeegse Mixed Hockey Club Nijmegen, commonly known as Nijmegen, is a Dutch field hockey club based in Nijmegen, Gelderland. It was founded on 15 September 1906 and it has a total number of 1,783 members.
Tina Bachmann is a retired German field hockey player. She represented Germany in two editions of the Olympic Games, and also often played as a midfielder and an experienced central defender. Bachmann was also a member of the Germany women's national field hockey team who attained a great success in the mid and late 2000s, capturing three gold medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics, 2006 Women's Hockey Champions Trophy, and 2007 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship.
Brenden David Nelson Bissett is a Canadian field hockey player who plays as a midfielder or forward for the Vancouver Hawks and the Canadian national team.
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