Sean Niewold

Sean Niewold (born 20 April 2002) is a Dutch swimmer who competed at the 2024 Olympics in the 100 meter freestyle, where he placed 23rd.

Early life

Sean Niewold was born in Groningen, the Netherlands. He moved abroad with his family two weeks after his birth because of his father's job in the oil industry. He spent most of his childhood in Azerbaijan, Libya, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Growing up in countries with warm climates, he swam regularly at school (Jumeriah English Speaking School Arabian Ranches in the UAE) and began competitive swimming in Libya, where swimming and football were among the main sports. Because his family relocated frequently, he found it difficult to build lasting friendships, although he later said the experience helped him adapt easily to new environments and cultures.

During the Libyan Civil War in 2011, Niewold and his family experienced the violence firsthand. He later recalled bombs falling near their home and sheltering with dozens of other people. Niewold and his mother escaped Libya by boat from Tripoli to Malta during severe weather, while his father remained behind to help evacuate other employees before safely leaving the country himself. Niewold has said these experiences contributed to his ability to remain calm under pressure. He has a tattoo of the Kazakh phrase Allaga Amanat ("Trust in God"), reflecting a saying often used by his mother, who is originally from Kazakhstan.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Niewold finished 23rd in the 100 metre freestyle. Following the Games, he reduced his training volume in order to complete a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Delft University of Technology. He has stated that balancing elite sport and his studies became more difficult because he no longer held an A-status within the Dutch high-performance programme, making full-time training financially challenging.

In 2026, Niewold and Giele relocated to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where they joined the University of Alabama swimming programme while continuing their international careers. Niewold described the scale of collegiate swimming in the United States as markedly different from that in the Netherlands, noting facilities such as charter flights to competitions and the extensive support available to student-athletes.