Milou van Wijk
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| Nationality | Dutch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 12 November 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Freestyle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Milou van Wijk (born 12 November 2004) is a Dutch swimmer.
Career
[edit]van Wijk made her World Aquatics Championships debut in 2023. Her best finish was sixth place in the 4×100 metre freestyle relay.[1] She again competed at the World Championships in 2024 and won a gold medal in the 4×100 metre freestyle relay with a time of 3:36.61. She was replaced by Marrit Steenbergen during the event final.[2]
In June 2025, she competed at the 2025 European U-23 Swimming Championships and won gold medals in the 50 metre and 100 metre freestyle events.[3] The next month she competed at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships and won a bronze medal in the 4×100 metre freestyle relay with a time of 3:33.89.[4] She also advanced to the final of the 50 metre freestyle and finished in fifth place with a time of 24.47 seconds.[5][6]
In August 2026, she competed at the 2026 European Aquatics Championships and won a gold medal in the 4×100 metre freestyle relay with a European Championships record time of 3:31.89.[7] She also won a silver medal in the 100 metre freestyle with a time of 52.71 seconds.[8]
Personal life
[edit]van Wijk was diagnosed with Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome, a rare growth syndrome as a baby. She was then diagnosed with cancer at two years old.[9] She had a leg-length discrepancy of two and a half centimeters before she underwent surgery on her right knee. During the surgery they drilled into her growth plates so that only her left leg would continue to grow and eventually match the length of her right leg. She now only has a leg-length difference of six millimeters. Because she grew rapidly and asymmetrically, she also developed scoliosis.[10]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Milou van Wijk is topzwemster na zorgen om gezondheid: 'Gevraagd waarom ik geen paralympiër was'". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 11 October 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ "Estafettezwemsters pakken tot hun eigen verrassing WK-goud op 4x100 vrij in Doha". De Volkskrant (in Dutch). 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ "Driemaal EK-goud voor Milou van Wijk in Slowakije". zwemkroniek.com (in Dutch). 29 June 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ "Estafettevrouwen pakken brons na geweldige inhaalslag: 'We hebben het maximale eruit gehaald'". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 2 August 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ "Nederland grijpt naast medaille op gemengde estafette, Milou van Wijk naar finale 50 meter vrije slag". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 2 August 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ "Milou van Wijk (20) grijpt naast medaille op 50 meter vrij, estafettezwemmers finale 4x100 wissel". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 3 August 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ "Nederland pakt Europese titel op 4x 100 meter estafette vrije slag na fenomenale eindsprint Marrit Steenbergen". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 12 August 2026. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
- ↑ "Ontketende Marrit Steenbergen pakt Europese titel op koningsnummer en helpt Nederland aan zilver op gemengde estafette". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 11 August 2026. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ Marinus, Mitch (26 July 2025). "Milou van Wijk (20) bestormt zwemtop met groeisyndroom en pestverleden". NU.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ "Milou van Wijk mentaal sterk na groeiproblemen". teamnl.org (in Dutch). 3 August 2026. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
External links
[edit]- Milou van Wijk at World Aquatics
- Milou van Wijk at TeamNL (in Dutch)