Sjoukje Dijkstra (NED) @Carl Mureau
It is with regret and sorrow that the ISU learned of the passing of 1964 Olympic Champion, three-time ISU World Champion and five-time ISU European Champion Mrs. Sjoukje Dijkstra who passed away at age 82 on May 2, 2024.
Sjoukje Dijkstra was born on January 28 in 1942 in Akkrum, The Netherlands. She started skating at a young age, encouraged by her father Luitzen “Lou”, who was a long track speed skater and competed in the 1936 Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
“I am very grateful to him. Together with my grandfather, he gave me figure skates on my birthday,” Mrs. Dijkstra recalled in an interview for the Dutch Skating Federation KNSB on the occasion of her 80th birthday.
“Exactly how he came to give me figure skates, I don't know. It could well be that during the Games my father saw Norway's Sonja Henie, who captured the Olympic title for the third time in a row. Maybe he thought: if I ever have a daughter or son, he or she should go figure skating. Shame I never asked him that."
Young Sjoukje trained in the Netherlands and also went abroad to Great Britain to be coached by Swiss coach Arnold Gerschwiler. She was only 14 years old when she made her Olympic debut at the 1956 Olympic Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo where she placed 12th. Three years later, Mrs. Dijkstra celebrated her international breakthrough and claimed silver at the ISU European Championships as well as bronze at the ISU World Championships. She also took the first of six National titles.
Mrs. Dijkstra went on to win the silver medal at the 1960 Olympic Winter Games and ISU World Championships as well as her first European title. She dominated through the next Olympic cycle and crowned her career with Olympic gold in 1964 in Innsbruck, Austria. It was the first gold medal for the Netherlands at Olympic Winter Games in history and resulted in huge popularity for the Skater.
“I did think that it would be very nice to win an international medal,” Mrs. Dijkstra told the KNSB in her last big interview.
“In Davos in '59 I suddenly came second at the European Championships. I couldn't believe it. I thought: hey, I can do it after all! That's why I always say: every medal has its value and beautiful memories. Still, it became difficult after that. You have to train even harder to stay at that level. I never really had an idol or an example. My coach said: ‘you shouldn't look at others. Focus on yourself and your own mistakes. Improve those and work hard.’"
Sjoukje Dijkstra (NED) @KNSB
Winning Olympic gold in front of the Dutch royal family that had come to watch her performance, remained Sjoukje Dijkstra’s fondest memory of her distinguished career.
“At that time I jumped a very nice double axel. That was quite unique at the time,” she said.
“There were more jumps, but all my jumps in the free program were very high. This is what I enjoyed. Exercising myself to the music, skating beautifully and keeping my nerves in check. I think I was a really competitive skater. After the competition, it was like being under a cold shower. It was such a hangover feeling, that it was over."
Mrs. Dijkstra retired from competitive skating and performed in ice shows, notably in Holiday on Ice, for eight years following her Olympic victory. She got married to Karl Kossmayer and the couple had two daughters, Rosalie and Katja. Skating always remained close to Sjoukje Dijkstra’s heart. Together with her close friend and former competitor Joan Haanappel, she supported young Dutch Figure Skaters and the two Dutch skating legends were proud when Lindsay van Zundert competed as the first Dutch Figure Skater on Olympic ice since 1976. The 1964 Olympic Champion also used to attend Skating competitions in the Netherlands, especially the Challenge Cup, until this year.
Sjoukje Dijkstra passed away peacefully at home on May 2, 2024 after long illness and only ten weeks after her close friend Joan Haanappel. She is survived by her daughters Rosalie and Katja.
Mrs. Dijkstra will be remembered for her contribution to the sport of Figure Skating and her life-long dedication to the sport.
The ISU pays tribute to Mrs. Dijkstra and will remember her with affection.