Hobbies
Playing the guitar, singing, supporting Dutch football club Feyenoord. (bartdeurloo.nl, 18 Sep 2017; rotterdamtopsport.nl, 20 Nov 2018)
Occupation
Athlete, Coach
Spoken languages
Dutch, English
Club
O&O Zwijndrecht: Netherlands
Coach
Dirk van Meldert [national], BEL
Injuries
He underwent right knee surgery in September 2021. (Instagram profile, 14 Sep 2021)
A wrist injury meant he missed the 2014 World Championships in Nanning, Republic of China. (rtvridderkerk.nl, 22 Aug 2014)
He injured his knee at a World Cup event in March 2013, and missed the 2013 European Championships in Moscow, Russian Federation. (bartdeurloo.nl, 05 Apr 2013)
A hand injury meant he was unable to compete at the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. (parool.nl, 03 Oct 2011)
Start sporting career
He took up the sport at age six at the OKK Ridderkerk club in the Netherlands.
Reason for taking up the sport
His mother was involved in gymnastics. She knew coach Jeroen Jacobs and asked him to take a look at Bart and his brother Thomas. The coach decided they were talented and that he would like to train them.
Milestones
He became the first male Dutch artistic gymnast to reach the individual all-around final at the Olympic Games when he accomplished the feat at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (rotterdamtopsport.nl, 20 Nov 2018; SportsDeskOnline, 23 Sep 2019)
Ambitions
To compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (Instagram profile, 18 Sep 2023; nos.nl, 01 Jun 2023)
Trainings
He trains several times a week.
Philosophy / Motto
"If you start your car after winter when you haven't used it for six months, you'll find it does not work. With sports it is just the same. You have to keep lubricating it with oil. Continue to exercise." (trouw.nl, 16 May 2017)
Awards
He was named the 2015 Athlete of the Year in Zwijndrecht, Netherlands. (zwijndrecht.net, 16 Jan 2016)
Additional information
RETIREMENT AND RETURN
He announced his retirement from the sport in February 2023. However, he reversed his decision in June 2023 with a view to competing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. "In conversations with Jeroen van Leeuwen I discovered that I may have stopped too early. I missed the physical and mental challenge and Jeroen challenged me several times to make my own choices. National coach Dirk van Meldert also responded positively. I want to do everything I can to go to the Games in Paris with the team." (telegraaf.nl, 01 Jun 2023; nos.nl, 01 Jun 2023)
Last update : 2024-07-22
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