Epke Zonderland
Encyclopedia
Epke Jan Zonderland is a Dutch
gymnast
. He started exercising gymnastics at the age of four. He has two brothers (Herre and Johan) and one sister (Geeske) who are also international gymnasts.
Zonderland reached his first international success as a junior in 2004. At the European Junior Championships in Ljubljana
he became fourth at the all-around event and he won a silver medal at the horizontal bar. That same year he also became Dutch national all-around champion by taking over the title from his older brother Herre.
In 2005 at the World Championships in Melbourne
Zonderland and Jeffrey Wammes were the first ever Dutch gymnasts in the history of the sport to qualify themselves for the all-around final. Zonderland eventually ended up on the 11th position. In that same year at the European Championships he only reached the 15th position, which was a disappointment considered his World Championship result.
After his success in 2005 he continued in 2006 by reaching the final of the horizontal bar competition during the European Championships in Volos
, where he became 6th. At the World Cup meeting in Glasgow
at the same discipline he won the silver medal and in Tehran
, Zonderland claimed his first World Cup win and the gold medal. That year he also became Dutch national all-around champion for the second time in his career.
In 2007 he competed in both the European and the World Championships. At the European Championships in Amsterdam he reached a unique performance by finishing sixth in the all-around event, the highest ever position by a Dutch gymnast. During the same Championships he also won the bronze medal at the parallel bars. Later, in September at the World Championships in Stuttgart
Zonderland finished in 4th position at the horizontal bar, which earned him a qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
. Later in 2007 he won his second World Cup event at the horizontal bar in Glasgow. In 2009, he won the silver medal in High Bar at the 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
. Therefore he was named Dutch Sportsman of the Year
. In 2010, he earned the silver medal on High Bar.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
gymnast
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
. He started exercising gymnastics at the age of four. He has two brothers (Herre and Johan) and one sister (Geeske) who are also international gymnasts.
Zonderland reached his first international success as a junior in 2004. At the European Junior Championships in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
he became fourth at the all-around event and he won a silver medal at the horizontal bar. That same year he also became Dutch national all-around champion by taking over the title from his older brother Herre.
In 2005 at the World Championships in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
Zonderland and Jeffrey Wammes were the first ever Dutch gymnasts in the history of the sport to qualify themselves for the all-around final. Zonderland eventually ended up on the 11th position. In that same year at the European Championships he only reached the 15th position, which was a disappointment considered his World Championship result.
After his success in 2005 he continued in 2006 by reaching the final of the horizontal bar competition during the European Championships in Volos
Volos
Volos is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki...
, where he became 6th. At the World Cup meeting in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
at the same discipline he won the silver medal and in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Zonderland claimed his first World Cup win and the gold medal. That year he also became Dutch national all-around champion for the second time in his career.
In 2007 he competed in both the European and the World Championships. At the European Championships in Amsterdam he reached a unique performance by finishing sixth in the all-around event, the highest ever position by a Dutch gymnast. During the same Championships he also won the bronze medal at the parallel bars. Later, in September at the World Championships in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
Zonderland finished in 4th position at the horizontal bar, which earned him a qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. Later in 2007 he won his second World Cup event at the horizontal bar in Glasgow. In 2009, he won the silver medal in High Bar at the 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 41st World Artistic Gymnastics Championships was held at The O2 arena in London, United Kingdom, on 12 October to 18 October 2009. Similar to the World Championships in 2005, there were no team competitions...
. Therefore he was named Dutch Sportsman of the Year
Dutch Sportsman of the year
The Dutch Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year are chosen annually by Dutch athletes from a shortlist compiled by sports journalists. The elections are organized by the Dutch Olympic Committee.- Sporter of the Year :...
. In 2010, he earned the silver medal on High Bar.