Google Doodle of the day: Fanny Blankers-Koen

Krusty_Clown

I'm semi-ashamed to say that I'd never heard of Fanny Blankers-Koen, before I saw the curious google doodle pop-up on my browser homepage this morning.

Francina "Fanny" Elsje Blankers-Koen (26 April 1918 – 25 January 2004) was a Dutch athlete, best known for winning four gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She was a 30-year-old mother of two when she competed at the London Olympics. Her background and performances earned her the nickname the Flying Housewife. She was the most successful athlete at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

More here: Wikipedia, Youtube

There's a statue of her in Rotterdam, but sadly it's not on the marathon course as I'm sure runners could draw inspiration from it, during their darker moments!

Itziger

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I'm semi-ashamed to say that I'd never heard of Fanny Blankers-Koen, before I saw the curious google doodle pop-up on my browser homepage this morning.

Francina "Fanny" Elsje Blankers-Koen (26 April 1918 – 25 January 2004) was a Dutch athlete, best known for winning four gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She was a 30-year-old mother of two when she competed at the London Olympics. Her background and performances earned her the nickname the Flying Housewife. She was the most successful athlete at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

More here: Wikipedia, Youtube

There's a statue of her in Rotterdam, but sadly it's not on the marathon course as I'm sure runners could draw inspiration from it, during their darker moments!

I'm a bit shocked Krusty. Maybe my age advantage on you helps me a little here but I'd a thought a well read devotee of the sport like yourself would have known FBK.

And one other thing; What darker moments??

eyrie

Interesting! I hadn't heard of her myself.
Amazing that she won four golds after having two kids too. I follow tennis a fair bit and Kim Clijsters a few years ago was the first (and still only) mother to win a slam. I've never looked into the figures for runners but I have a vague impression that it happens more in running? The age profile of a competitive runner is fairly different to that of a female tennis player I suppose, so that's bound to be part of it.

morceli

eyrie wrote: »

Interesting! I hadn't heard of her myself.
Amazing that she won four golds after having two kids too. I follow tennis a fair bit and Kim Clijsters a few years ago was the first (and still only) mother to win a slam. I've never looked into the figures for runners but I have a vague impression that it happens more in running? The age profile of a competitive runner is fairly different to that of a female tennis player I suppose, so that's bound to be part of it.

Very good story , as for having 2 kids I think our women's team for the Euros have far more between them

robinph

I saw the doodle earlier but never got as far as clicking on it to see who it was about. Delighted to say that I have heard of her before and therefore, like Itziger, we are superior to KC for today.

RayCun

eyrie wrote: »

Interesting! I hadn't heard of her myself.
Amazing that she won four golds after having two kids too. I follow tennis a fair bit and Kim Clijsters a few years ago was the first (and still only) mother to win a slam. I've never looked into the figures for runners but I have a vague impression that it happens more in running? The age profile of a competitive runner is fairly different to that of a female tennis player I suppose, so that's bound to be part of it.

In distance running, there are quite a few women who have competed at a high level after having kids. But Blankers-Koen was a sprinter - I don't think there were many 30 year old mothers of two in the blocks at the last Olympics!

Chivito550

There was a rule that you couldn’t compete in more than 4 events in those 1948 Games. Otherwise she’d have won the long jump too. If the Second World War never happened she’d have 8 or 9 gold medals and would possibly be the most decorated track and field Olympian of all time. A legend of the sport. IAAF named her female athlete of the century in 1999.

ReeReeG

eyrie wrote: »

Interesting! I hadn't heard of her myself.
Amazing that she won four golds after having two kids too. I follow tennis a fair bit and Kim Clijsters a few years ago was the first (and still only) mother to win a slam. I've never looked into the figures for runners but I have a vague impression that it happens more in running? The age profile of a competitive runner is fairly different to that of a female tennis player I suppose, so that's bound to be part of it.

I imagine Serena will join those ranks...

Krusty_Clown

Itziger wrote: »

I'm a bit shocked Krusty. Maybe my age advantage on you helps me a little here but I'd a thought a well read devotee of the sport like yourself would have known FBK.

And one other thing; What darker moments??

Athletics didn't exist for me until around 8 years ago and even then largely from a participation standpoint. Only found my love of watching it in recent years and reading about it more recently again. But on the bright side, I've so many heroes yet to discover! Maybe it's because he's a distance runner, but Emil Zátopek is still my 'go-to' hero!

RayCun

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Maybe it's because he's a distance runner, but Emil Zátopek is still my 'go-to' hero!

Have you read "Today We Die a Little", the recent biography by Richard Askwith?

eyrie

ReeReeG wrote: »

I imagine Serena will join those ranks...

Oh I would say so! Probably by casually winning another dozen or so... :eek:

williestroker1

She was known as the 'Flying Fanny'.

sideswipe

williestroker1 wrote: »

She was known as the 'Flying Fanny'.

You seem partial to risqué nicknames Mr stroker.

Krusty_Clown

RayCun wrote: »

Have you read "Today We Die a Little", the recent biography by Richard Askwith?

Sure did. Didn't think too much of it, I have to confess. While all the famed Zatopek stories were well represented, I wish there had been more race narrative, and less of the 3rd party introspection, but it's been a while since I read it, so maybe I'm not doing the book proper service.

williestroker1

sideswipe wrote: »

You seem partial to risqué nicknames Mr stroker.

Parents were Frances and Richard Stroker.

sides-wipe!!!!