The Netherlands will send eight swimmers to Budapest, Hungary next month for the 2024 Short Course World Championships. The meet is scheduled for December 10-15. Highlighting the roster is 2024 Paris Olympic bronze medalist Caspar Corbeau.
Corbeau is coming off of a huge summer where he made the Olympic Final of both breaststroke events. He swam a best time of a 59.04 in prelims of the 100 breast, a time that would have won silver if he replicated the time in finals. He swam a 59.98 for 8th in the final. Although he missed the podium in the 100, he earned bronze in the 200 breast swimming a huge personal best 2:07.90.
Continuing his momentum in the fall, Corbeau competed in all three stops of the SCM World Cup. He made the podium in the 200 breast at all three stops, with his fastest swim coming at the final stop as he swam a 2:02.33 to earn the win. He also made the podium twice in the 100 breast including a best time of a 56.59 at the Incheon stop. Corbeau makes his return to SC Worlds after swimming at the 2022 edition of the meet.
Maaike de Waard also highlights the roster. She represented the country at 2022 SC Worlds, helping the women’s 4×50 free relay to bronze. She also was a member of the mixed 4×50 free relay that won bronze. Nyls Korstanje was also a member of the mixed freestyle relay, swimming a prelims leg. Kostanje also helped the men’s 4×50 free relay to bronze.
Kira Toussaint is another notable name. Toussaint won the European SC Titles last December in the 50 and 100 backstrokes. She finaled in the 100 and 200 backstrokes at 2022 SC Worlds and will look to make a return to the finals.
Notably absent from the roster are Marrit Steenbergen, Tes Schouten and Arno Kamminga. The three represented the country in Paris but are taking a longer break.
Oh yes, the California-born “Dutch” star with a French last name. He should do an interview entirely in Dutch, as he’s represented the Netherlands for multiple international competitions and should be comfortable speaking their language.
Also, it’s much easier to make the Olympic team when you don’t have to beat Nic Fink in the process.
Sure, I’ll bite.
Doesn’t seem like Corbeau would have had any trouble qualifying in either the 100 or 200 breast, given he won an individual medal in the latter and finaled in the other? More so I’d say that competition in the Netherlands was ostensibly bigger given Arno was the reigning double Olympic silver medalist when Corbeau made that decision, while the US men won 0 medals in the breaststroke in 2021..
Second, not sure Corbeau is part of this group, but MANY Dutch people have French last names as a result of historic migration of French Huguenots (and the *reason* last names were put into a central administration is literally Napoleon), and you’d know that if you had… Read more »