It was the first Olympic medal ever for the Netherlands in synchronized swimming. Twin sisters Noortje and Bregje de Brouwer (25) from Goirle took it. This year they also won a historic silver medal at the World Cup and two gold medals at the European Championships. Omroep Brabant looks back on a historic year with the swimmers. “We won’t go over this again,” the sisters laugh.
“It’s heavy! Still is,” Bregje beams as she shows off her Olympic medal. It is the crown jewel from a veritable sea of titles in 2024. “All the memories are now coming back. The moment itself, but also all the training and what you had to give up for it.”
Two drops of water
Twin sisters with the same sport, passion and realized dream. They look alike, or at least they see enough differences themselves. And they also do the sport synchronously. Do they complement each other literally and figuratively? Bregje: “We finish each other’s sentences!” Noortje adds: “We hear that more often. We understand each other better than anyone else as twins.”
They wrote synchronized swimming history three times in one year. “We really didn’t think about that at the time, it only came later. Now you think: wow, this has never happened before in all those decades.” Bregje adds: “We are and will remain the first. They will never take this away from us.”
“Unbelievable, successful and a rollercoaster”, is how Noortje describes the year in three words. What was the real highlight? Bregje: “The family that was there at the Games. This is what we did it for, we immediately thought.” How different was it during the games in Tokyo: in the middle of corona times. “No one was there then. Now we could really show what we are doing.”
Banners
Goirle shuddered with pride. Of course there was a tribute. Hundreds of residents stood on the sidelines in August. Banners with their names on them were on display. Noortje: “Everyone sympathizes. You really remember that. It is so nice to celebrate the medal in the place where you grew up and where you know everyone. Have a great party with everyone.”
And all for synchronized swimming. A sport that does not always receive football-like attention. Bregje: “We don’t like to be in the spotlight,” she admits. “So in that respect we have chosen a strange profession.”
Still, all the attention is good for the sport. Do the ladies want to inspire young girls? Noortje: “And boys of course! There are still plenty of talents.” Bregje: “The sport is really back in the picture. Clubs receive more registrations, that’s what we hoped of course! Although they are mainly girls.”
Diabetes
Yet there were not only highlights. Noortje was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes a few months before the Games. In addition, an operation on her shoulder had put their preparation for the Olympic tournament to the test. Yet all this did not prevent them from winning bronze.
Repeating this sporting year again is almost impossible. If only because of the lack of the largest tournaments. “How are we going to top this?” Bregje laughs.
Everything had to make way for the sport in 2024. Next year will be a much quieter year. They are both doing the same study: commercial economics. And the thesis also needs love and attention. So now they have to spend hours on the books. Nice? “Huge,” the ladies joke sarcastically. “Then we’ll continue dreaming.”
