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| Nationality | Australian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1998-12-09) 9 December 1998 (age 26) Cape Town, South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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.
Career
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. Jean also competed in the K1 1000 metres in Tokyo, finishing in 11th place by coming 3rd in the B-final. 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.
In the 2022 Australia Day Honours he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Van der Westhuyzen and Tom Green won bronze in the men's K2.
Personal life
Van der Westhuyzen's brother, Pierre, is also an Olympic canoeist.
References
- "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
- Jean van der Westhuyzen at the International Canoe Federation
- Jean van der Westhuyzen at Olympics.com
- Jean van der Westhuyzen at the Australian Olympic Committee
- Jean van der Westhuyzen at Olympedia
  | This article about an Australian canoeist is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |
- 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
- 21st-century Australian sportsmen
- Australian canoeist stubs