Marlene van Gansewinkel

Marlene van Gansewinkel (born 11 March 1995) is a Dutch Paralympic athlete. In 2021, she won the gold medal in both the women's 100 metres T64 and 200 metres T64 events at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan. She also won the bronze medal in the women's long jump T64 event.

In 2016, she won the bronze medal in the women's long jump T44 event at the Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She has also won medals in the long jump and in sprinting events at the World Para Athletics Championships and the World Para Athletics European Championships.

Early life

Van Gansewinkel was born without her lower left leg and lower left arm.

Career

Early in her career, Van Gansewinkel competed as a T44-classified athlete. In 2014, she competed in the women's 100 metres T44, 200 metres T44 and 400 metres T44 events at the IPC Athletics European Championships held in Swansea, Wales. She missed out on winning a medal as she finished in 4th place in all three events. At the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships held in Doha, Qatar, she won the silver medal in the women's long jump T44 event.

Van Gansewinkel represented the Netherlands at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and she won the bronze medal in the women's long jump T44 event. She also competed in the women's 100 metres T44 event where she finished in 7th place.

At the beginning of 2018, World Para Athletics implemented classification changes and, as of that year, Van Gansewinkel competes as a T64-classified athlete, a class specifically for athletes with a single below the knee amputation. In that year, she won the gold medal in both the women's 100 metres T64 and women's 200 metres T64 events at the 2018 World Para Athletics European Championships held in Berlin, Germany. In the 100 metres she also set a new world record of 12.85 seconds.

In 2019, Van Gansewinkel won the silver medal in the women's 100 metres T64 event at the World Para Athletics Championships held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She also won the silver medal in the women's long jump T64 event. She was disqualified in the women's 200 metres T64 event for running out of lane.

In 2021, she won the gold medal in the women's 200 metres T64 event at the World Para Athletics European Championships held in Bydgoszcz, Poland. She also won the silver medal in the women's 100 metres T64 and women's long jump T64 events. In the long jump she set a new personal best of 5.82 metres.

Van Gansewinkel represented the Netherlands at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan. She won the gold medal in both the women's 100 metres T64 and 200 metres T64 events. She also won the bronze medal in the women's long jump T64 event. In 2024, Van Gansewinkel won three medals at the Summer Paralympics held in Paris, France. She won the silver medal in the women's 200 metres T64 event and also the silver medal in the women's long jump T64 event.

Awards

In 2018, she won the Dutch Paralympic Athlete of the Year award.

Personal life

In 2017, Van Gansewinkel founded Team Para Atletiek together with Paralympic athlete Fleur Jong and coach Guido Bonsen which aims to help beginning and experienced para-athletes.

Achievements

Track

Representing 2018 European Championships Berlin, Germany 1st 100 metres T64 12.85 s 1st 200 metres T64 26.12 s 2019 World Championships Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2nd 100 metres T64 12.96 s 2021 European Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland 2nd 100 metres T64 12.80 s 1st 200 metres T64 26.79 s Summer Paralympics Tokyo, Japan 1st 100 metres T64 12.78 s 1st 200 metres T64 26.22 s 2024 World Championships Kobe, Japan 2nd 100 metres T64 12.73 s 1st 200 metres T64 25.73 s Summer Paralympics Paris, France 3rd 100 metres T64 12.72 s 2nd 200 metres T64 26.14 s

Field

Representing 2015 World Championships Doha, Qatar 2nd Long jump T44 5.27 m 2016 Summer Paralympics Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 3rd Long jump T44 5.57 m 2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom 2nd Long jump T44 5.29 m 2018 European Championships Berlin, Germany 2nd Long jump T64 5.61 m 2019 World Championships Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2nd Long jump T64 5.28 m 2021 European Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland 2nd Long jump T64 5.82 m Summer Paralympics Tokyo, Japan 3rd Long jump T64 5.78 m 2023 World Championships Paris, France 2nd Long jump T64 5.40 m 2024 World Championships Kobe, Japan 2nd Long jump T64 5.45 m Summer Paralympics Paris, France 2nd Long jump T64 5.87 m