Beyond the Medal: Sharon van Rouwendaal brings the athlete perspective to Swim Safe Europe
Few athletes understand the relationship between performance, resilience and water better than Sharon van Rouwendaal. The Dutch open water legend will bring that perspective to the Swim Safe Europe Conference 2026 during a special ambassador session entitled Beyond the Medal: The Reality of Swimming & Coaching. While Van Rouwendaal’s achievements in the water are well […]
Open water swimming ace Sharon van Rouwendaal announces retirement
Dutch open water swimming powerhouse Sharon van Rouwendaal has announced her retirement from competition at the age of 31. A two-time Olympic champion, she lit up the global marathon swimming scene for a whole decade, after making the transition from pool swimming. One of the most successful athletes in the history of the discipline, […]
Olympic champion Sharon Van Rouwendaal becomes Athlete Ambassador for the European Aquatics’ Social Responsibility programme
Sharon Van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands, reigning Olympic champion for Open Water Swimming and legend of the discipline, has signed up to become Athlete Ambassador for European Aquatics’ Aquatics Social Responsibility programme. Sharon will serve as spokesperson and advocate for: Swim Safe Europe, which is European Aquatics’ Learn to Swim programme to promote water competence and safety. Let’s Swim […]
European Aquatics Launches 2025 Athlete Ambassador Pilot Project
European Aquatics is proud to unveil its 2025 Athlete Ambassador Pilot Project, an exciting new initiative designed to enhance visibility, deepen community engagement, and promote the organisation’s core values across all aquatic disciplines. This pilot marks a significant step toward building stronger connections between elite athletes, fans, grassroots communities, and key stakeholders. Throughout the year, […]
European Aquatics Athlete of the Year Awards 2024: Sharon van Rouwendaal voted best female open water swimmer
Sharon van Rouwendaal has been named best female open water swimmer in the 2024 European Aquatics Athlete of the Year Awards, thus claiming the honour for a sixth time. The 30-year-old Dutch athlete became the first swimmer, male or female, to win two Olympic 10k titles when she claimed gold at the Paris 2024 Games. […]
European Aquatics Athlete of the Year Awards 2024: Nominees for best female open water swimmer
European female open water swimmers, like their male counterparts, dominated global competition in 2024, and five of the finest performers are now nominees for the European Aquatics Athlete of the Year award in their category. Sharon van Rouwendaal became the first swimmer, male or female, to win two Olympic 10k titles when she claimed gold […]
2024 in review: The Netherlands’ van Rouwendaal creates open swimming history at the Olympics after world title wins
Sharon van Rouwendaal became the first swimmer, male or female, to win two Olympic 10k titles when she claimed gold at the Paris Games with a late charge in the River Seine. The 30-year-old Dutch athlete, who had begun her year by winning the world 5km and 10km titles in Doha, outsprinted her Australian rival […]
