Bree (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Swimming club De Meerkoet in Bree is in awe after Roos Vanotterdijk’s standout performance at the World Championships in Singapore, calling it “unbelievable.”
In the 100-meter butterfly, the Houthalen-Helchteren swimmer took home a silver medal, the Netherlands’ first World Championship victory since 1998.
“It was written in the stars that Roos would make it,”
says Peter Melders, head coach at De Meerkoet in Bree, Belgium.
“But that she was able to win a medal at a World Championship is incredible. It’s been almost 30 years since Belgium was able to do that.”
Vanotterdijk began her swimming career in her hometown of Houthalen-Helchteren, but at 12, she switched to De Meerkoet in Bree.
“She was already a student at the top sports school back then, so she swam with us on weekends and spent the week in Antwerp.”
“Today she only trains in Antwerp, with the elite team, of course. But she comes to us to relax and feel at home. She comes back to the warm nest more often, because she knows she has 100 percent support with us,”
says the proud trainer.
According to Melders, it quickly became clear that Vanotterdijk is incredibly talented.
“She’s always been a hard worker, but above all, a very smart young woman,”
he says.
“She views life and her sport a bit like a supermarket: she wanders around and takes everything she can use. What she doesn’t need, she leaves behind. That makes her a unique character.”
“She was brimming with talent and picked up everything quickly,”
the swimming coach continues.
“She also always made technical adjustments without any problems. That’s why she’s always won so many medals and awards. And there will be many more to come,”
Melders hopes.
It’s clear: at De Meerkoet, they’re incredibly proud of ‘their’ Roos.
“Who can say something like that? That we, as a swimming club in a small town like Bree, have such a talented person. That’s incredible. She’s become our figurehead, of course.”
And that figurehead certainly deserves a celebration, Melders believes.
“We’re going to welcome Roos with open arms and make it a serious celebration. When and how we’ll do that, we still have to figure out.”
How has De Meerkoet swimming club supported Roos’s development?
De Meerkoet swimming club has supported Roos Vanotterdijk’s development by providing her with a strong training environment from a very young age. She started swimming at the club as a three-year-old and has been nurtured there ever since.
The club and her coaches have helped her build a versatile skill set across multiple swimming disciplines, contributing to her breaking numerous Belgian national records.
De Meerkoet has been instrumental in fostering her talent and enabling her progression from a promising junior swimmer to an internationally competitive athlete, providing support through her training and competitions.
