Jeroen Straathof

Straathof started his sports career as a speed skater, becoming World Junior Champion in Warsaw 1992.[1] His best distance was the 1500 metres, and as the longest distances were his worst he only participated in one international all-round championship in his career. He made his Olympic debut at the 1994 Winter Olympics held in Lillehammer. He was qualified for the 1500 metres and placed 9th. In 1996 the World Single Distance Championships were introduced, and Straathof became the first World Champion over 1500 metres. He was never able to equal this performance or come close to winning another medal, and he made a switch to track cycling.

As pilot at the tandem he teamed up with visually handicapped cyclist Jan Mulder. In 1998 they took part in the World Championships and won the silver medal. At the 1999 European Championships they won the gold, and a year later they were acclaimed 2000 Summer Paralympics champions.

Straathof decided to make another switch, and became part of the Dutch Team Pursuit team that qualified for the 2002 World Championships, where they placed seventh. A year later they placed 9th, and in 2004 they improved their ranking to the fourth position. The team, composed of Straathof, Jens Mouris, Peter Schep and Levi Heimans, also qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics where they came in fifth. After those Olympics Straathof ended his professional sports career.

Finally, Straathof is one of the few athletes who have competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympic games.[2]

Straathof is the brother of former speed skater Judith Straathof. He is married to wheelchair basketball player Evelyn van Leeuwen and they have four children.[3]

Season	Dutch Championships Allround	Dutch Championships Single Distances	Dutch Championships Sprint	Olympic Games	World Championships Single Distances	World Championships Allround	World Championships Sprint	World Championships Junior Allround
1990–1991		THE HAGUE 14th 1500m
1991–1992	ALKMAAR 6th 500m 14th 5000m 7th 1500m DNQ 10000m 13th overall	HEERENVEEN 6th 1000m 5th 1500m 12th 5000m						WARSAW 8th 500m 3000m 1500m 6th 5000m overall
1992–1993	ASSEN 11th 500m 10th 5000m 4th 1500m 12th 10000m 10th overall	DEVENTER 1500m 12th 5000m 13th 10000m
1993–1994		HEERENVEEN 5th 1500m 11th 5000m 10th 10000m		LILLEHAMMER 9th 1500m
1994–1995	ASSEN 7th 500m 5th 5000m 1500m 7th 10000m 6th overall	THE HAGUE 1500m 7th 5000m 12th 10000m				BASELGA di PINÈ 16th 500m 16th 5000m 6th 1500m DNQ 10000m 13th overall
1995–1996	THE HAGUE 4th 500m 7th 5000m 1500m 9th 10000m 6th overall	GRONINGEN 1500m			HAMAR 1500m
1996–1997	ASSEN 5th 500m 9th 5000m 1500m DNQ 10000m 13th overall				WARSAW 5th 1500m
1997–1998		HEERENVEEN 6th 1000m 6th 1500m	GRONINGEN 14th 500m 6th 1000m 20th 500m 5th 1000m 20th overall		CALGARY 7th 1500m
1998–1999		GRONINGEN 17th 500m 5th 1000m 1500m	GRONINGEN 6th 500m 6th 1000m 20th 500m 20th 1000m 19th overall
1999–2000		DEVENTER 7th 500m 20th 1000m 1500m
2000–2001		THE HAGUE 500m 1000m 5th 1500m	HEERENVEEN 4th 500m 1000m 4th 500m 1000m overall		SALT LAKE CITY 15th 1500m		INZELL 35th 500m 41st 1000m 33rd 500m 21st 1000m 38th overall
2001–2002		GRONINGEN 9th 500m 11th 1000m 16th 1500m

• DNQ = Did not qualify for the last event

Source:[4] [5]