Marrit Leenstra
Encyclopedia
Marrit Leenstra is a Dutch
professional beach volleyball
and indoor volleyball
player born in Emmen, Drenthe
.
In indoor volleyball Leenstra started her career in 1983 at OSV Pegasus Ter Apel. Other teams she played for were Etiflex Ommen, Martinus Amstelveen, Vini Monteschiavo Jesi
, Granzotto San Dona, Fiqurella Firenze and Mirabi Iandia Teodora Ravenna. From 1988 to 1992 she was part of the Dutch youth teams in her age-range. In 1992 she joined the Dutch senior volleyball team and was selected for the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
, finishing 6th. Four years later, during the 1996 Summer Olympics
she and her team finished 5th. Leenstra stayed in the Dutch team until 1998.
She started her international beach volleyball career already in 2001 after finishing her indoor contract in Italy
. She teamed up with Dutch star Rebekka Kadijk
whose sister Debora
decided to quit beach volleyball after the 2000 Summer Olympics
. In 2001, 2002 and 2004 Kadijk and Leenstra won three Dutch national titles. In Basel
2002 they reached the final of the European Championships. They lost this final, but still won a silver medal. Their main achievement was made in 2003 when they won the World Cup meeting in Lianyungang
(China
). They qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics
which was not as successful as they hoped before the start. After the Olympics they decided to split up. Leenstra's next partner was Sanne Keizer
with whom she did not reach any notable results with, except a 4th place at a tournament in Montreal
.
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...
professional beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
and indoor volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
player born in Emmen, Drenthe
Drenthe
Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...
.
In indoor volleyball Leenstra started her career in 1983 at OSV Pegasus Ter Apel. Other teams she played for were Etiflex Ommen, Martinus Amstelveen, Vini Monteschiavo Jesi
Vini Monteschiavo Jesi
Monte Schiavo Banca Marche Jesi is an Italian volleyball club which is playing their home matches at the Palatriccoli hall in Jesi.The team participates in the Women's CEV Champions League 2007-08.-Team 2009-2010:As of November 2009-Transfers:...
, Granzotto San Dona, Fiqurella Firenze and Mirabi Iandia Teodora Ravenna. From 1988 to 1992 she was part of the Dutch youth teams in her age-range. In 1992 she joined the Dutch senior volleyball team and was selected for the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, finishing 6th. Four years later, during the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
she and her team finished 5th. Leenstra stayed in the Dutch team until 1998.
She started her international beach volleyball career already in 2001 after finishing her indoor contract in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She teamed up with Dutch star Rebekka Kadijk
Rebekka Kadijk
Rebekka de Kogel-Kadijk is a Dutch professional beach volleyball and indoor volleyball player born in Werkendam.In indoor volleyball Kadijk started her career in 1992 at Foranto Werkendam. Other teams she played for were Sliedrecht Sport, Cornix Schelle and AMVJ. She was also part of the Dutch...
whose sister Debora
Debora Schoon-Kadijk
Debora Schoon-Kadijk is a former professional beach volleyball player from the Netherlands, who twice represented her native country at the Summer Olympics: 1996 and 2000...
decided to quit beach volleyball after the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. In 2001, 2002 and 2004 Kadijk and Leenstra won three Dutch national titles. In Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
2002 they reached the final of the European Championships. They lost this final, but still won a silver medal. Their main achievement was made in 2003 when they won the World Cup meeting in Lianyungang
Lianyungang
Lianyungang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north...
(China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
). They qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
which was not as successful as they hoped before the start. After the Olympics they decided to split up. Leenstra's next partner was Sanne Keizer
Sanne Keizer
Sanne Keizer is a Dutch professional beach volleyball and indoor volleyball player born in Doetinchem.In indoor volleyball Keizer started her career in 1996 at Orion Doetinchem. Other teams she played for were Longa Lichtenvoorde and Martinus Amstelveen...
with whom she did not reach any notable results with, except a 4th place at a tournament in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.