Wilma van den Berg
A trailblazing Dutch sprinter who broke national records and became her country's first female Olympic finalist in a sprint event.
Born 1947 (age 79)·Dutch sprinter·Birthday: August 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
In the late 1960s, Wilma van den Berg exploded onto the European athletics scene with a power that redefined Dutch women's sprinting. Coached by her future husband, Jan van Gool, she combined raw speed with a fierce competitive drive. Her career was a collection of firsts: she was the first Dutch woman to dip below 24 seconds in the 200 meters and below 12 seconds in the 100 meters. At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, she raced into history by reaching the 200m final, a milestone no Dutch female sprinter had achieved before. Though a serious injury hampered her second Olympic appearance in 1972, her legacy was secure. She set 15 national records, claimed European Championship silver, and paved the way for every Dutch female sprinter who followed, proving they could compete on the world's biggest stages.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Wilma was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Wilma Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Wilma's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first Dutch female sprinter to reach an Olympic final, placing 8th in the 200m at the 1968 Mexico City Games.
- Won a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the 1971 European Championships.
- Set 15 Dutch national records across the 100m, 200m, and relay events during her career.
- Named Dutch Female Athlete of the Year in 1969.
Did You Know?
She was coached by and later married her coach, former sprinter Jan van Gool.
She held the Dutch 200m record for an impressive 17 years, from 1968 until 1985.
She competed at the Olympics for a second time in 1972 in Munich, but was hampered by an Achilles tendon injury.
After retiring, she worked as a sports teacher and remained involved in athletics administration.
“The blocks are my weapon; the track is my proof.”
