Jean van der Westhuyzen
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| Nationality | Australian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 9 December 1998 Cape Town, South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Canoe sprint | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Jean van der Westhuyzen OAM (born 9 December 1998) is an Australian sprint canoeist. He was educated at Michaelhouse, Balgowan, KwaZulu Natal.[1]
Career
[edit]He won a gold medal in the K2 1000 metres event at the 2020 Summer Olympics as well as a bronze medal in the K2 500 metres event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, competing alongside Thomas Green.[2] Jean also competed in the K1 1000 metres in Tokyo, finishing in 11th place by coming 3rd in the B-final.[3][4] Jean Van Der Westhuizen attended an Elite, all-boys boarding school, Michaelhouse in KwaZulu-Natal, Midlands in South Africa.
Van der Westhuyzen began as a marathon and sprint paddler. It was only on his immigration to Australia from South Africa that he concentrated on sprint racing.[5]
In the 2022 Australia Day Honours he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.[6] At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Van der Westhuyzen and Tom Green won bronze in the men's K2.
Personal life
[edit]Van der Westhuyzen's brother, Pierre, is also an Olympic canoeist.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com.
- ^ "Men's Kayak Double 1000m: Results Final A" (PDF). Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ "Men's Kayak Single 1000m: Results Final B" (PDF). Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ "Canoe Sprint Jean van der Westhuyzen". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "Jean van der Westhuyzen". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ^ "Australia Day Honours List" (PDF). The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "Brotherly Bond drives Olympic selection". bond.edu.au. 13 March 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
External links
[edit]- Jean van der Westhuyzen at the International Canoe Federation
- Jean van der Westhuyzen at Olympedia
- Jean van der Westhuyzen at the Australian Olympic Committee
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- 1998 births
- Living people
- Australian male canoeists
- Olympic canoeists for Australia
- Canoeists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Canoeists at the 2024 Summer Olympics
- South African emigrants to Australia
- Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for Australia
- Olympic bronze medalists for Australia
- Olympic medalists in canoeing
- Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia
- Alumni of Michaelhouse
- ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships medalists in kayak
- Sportspeople from Cape Town
- Australian canoeist stubs