Born: April 26, 1918, Baarn, Netherlands
Died: January 25, 2004, Amsterdam
Fanny Blankers-Koen was Dutch track-and-field athlete, who won four gold medals at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. She is considered one of the greatest female athletes in history. Born Francina Elsje Koen in Amsterdam, Netherlands, she first participated in the Olympics at the 1936 games, held in Berlin, Germany. She competed in the high jump event and as a member of the 4 x 100-metre relay team, but did not win a medal. She married her coach, former Dutch track-and-field athlete Jan Blankers, in 1940. Blankers-Koen’s athletic career was then interrupted because of World War II (1939-1945). After the war, however, at the 1946 European championship track meet in Oslo, Norway, she won the 80-metre hurdles event and was a member of the winning 4 x 100-metre relay team.
At the 1948 Olympics Blankers-Koen won the 80-metre hurdles event and the 100-metre and 200-metre races and was a member of the winning 4 x 100-metre relay team. Two years later at the 1950 European championships in Brussels, Belgium, she won the 80-metre hurdles event and the 100-metre and 200-metre races. During her career Blankers-Koen set world records in the 80-metre hurdles, 100-metre dash, high jump, long jump and pentathlon. She also won 58 Dutch national titles in individual events.
