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Inge de Bruijn

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Inge de Bruijn (born August 24, 1973) is a former Dutch swimmer, and a four-time Olympic champion.

Biography

Inge de Bruijn was born in Barendrecht, South Holland, and she had tried several sports before settling with swimming. She debuted at the World Aquatics Championships in 1991, winning a bronze medal with the 4x100 m relay team, with which she had already won a gold medal at the European LC Championships.

The following year, de Bruijn made her Olympic debut at the 1992 Summer Olympics, and finished 8th in the 100 m and 4x100 m freestyle events. She did not compete at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

In 1999, she won the 50 m freestyle at the European Championships. The following year, after having swum several 50 m freestyle world records, she competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. She won the 50 and 100 m freestyle, and the 100 m butterfly, setting world records in all three events. In addition, she won a silver medal with the 4x100 m freestyle relay team. Her nickname became "Invincible Inky".

She was named by Swimming World as the "Female World Swimmer of the Year" in both 2000 and 2001. She confirmed her status when she won titles in three events at the 2001 World Championships. At the 2003 World Championships, de Bruijn defended her 50 m freestyle and butterfly titles.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens she upheld her gold medal in the 50 m free, as well as taking silver in the 100 m free, and two bronze: one in the 100 m butterfly and another with the rest of the Dutch women's swim team in the 4x100 m relay.

De Bruijn resides in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and previously trained in Portland, Oregon.

In March 2007, Inge de Bruijn announced her retirement from competitive swimming. She was trained at THSC (Tualatin Hills Thunderbolts).