The last Olympic Brabanders returned to the Netherlands from Beijing on Monday. All athletes, including goldcrest Ireen Wüst, were honored in Amsterdam. That happened in the presence of family and friends in the Holland Heineken House. The medal winners will receive a reception at King Willem-Alexander on Tuesday.
The bobsleigh brothers Janko and Jelen Franjic from Breda are happy, but exhausted after a long journey from China. “It’s been crazy since we left for Beijing.”
Janko only came into action on the four-man bob, Jelen also on the two-man. “I liked the four men better, because I did it with my brother,” says Jelen. Their father, Mario Franjic, participated on behalf of Bosnia in the Olympic Games in 1984 and 1994. “Our father is so proud. He has been smiling for four weeks,” says Janko. The brothers did not win a medal.
Rico Verhoeven
Another Brabant touch at the ceremony came from Rico Verhoeven, who gave a talk to skater and gold medalist Kjeld Nuis with whom he is friends.
There was also a lot of attention for Ireen Wüst from Goirle. On Tuesday she and other medalists will visit King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at Noordeinde Palace.
The 35-year-old Wüst successfully completed her last Winter Olympics. She won gold in the 1500 meters and bronze in the team pursuit. With a total of thirteen Olympic medals (six gold, five silver, two bronze), she is the second most successful winter sportsman in the world ever.
View the interview with Ireen Wüst below and images from the time when she was ‘a young boy’ of 16.