Nel van Vliet

Petronella "Nel" van Vliet was a Dutch breaststroke swimmer, born on 17 January 1926 in Hilversum and died on 4 January 2006 in Naarden. She learned to swim only around the age of sixteen, during the Second World War, and became national champion in the 200-metre breaststroke in 1943. In 1946 and 1947 she set thirteen world records in breaststroke and medley relay events, and she won the 200-metre breaststroke at the 1947 European Aquatics Championships and at the 1948 Summer Olympics. Her international career was delayed because her birth had not been registered. Her Olympic gold medal was stolen from her home and was reissued only in 2004. She was the first top swimmer raised by the coach Jan Stender and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1973.