Barbara van Bergen (born 9 June 1978) is a Dutch wheelchair basketball player and para-alpine skier.

Barbara van Bergen
van Bergen in 2015
Personal information
National teamNetherlands
Born (1978-06-09) 9 June 1978 (age 46)
Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands
Sport
CountryNetherlands
Sport
EventWomen's wheelchair basketball
Medal record
Representing  Netherlands
Women's wheelchair basketball
Paralympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London Team
European Wheelchair Basketball Championship
Gold medal – first place 2013 Frankfurt Team
Silver medal – second place 2015 Worcester Team
Silver medal – second place 2011 Nazareth Team
Silver medal – second place 2009 Stoke Mandeville Team
Silver medal – second place 2007 Wetzlar Team
Wheelchair Basketball World Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Toronto Team
Women's para-alpine skiing
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Lleida Downhill
Silver medal – second place 2021 Lillehammer Downhill

Career

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Wheelchair basketball

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Van Bergen began her career in 2007 with the team of the Rotterdam Arrows'81 and in 2008 played for the Dutch women's wheelchair basketball team at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, where they reached the quarter-finals. Three years later, the Dutch wheelchair basketball team qualified for the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. After losing in the semi-final, they won the bronze medal match.[1]

After winning gold at the 2013 Women's European Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Frankfurt, and bronze at the 2014 Women's World Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Toronto, the Dutch team won the silver medal at the 2015 Women's European Wheelchair Basketball Championship, thus qualifying for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, where they won the bronze medal once again.[2]

Para-alpine skiing

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Van Bergen has been active in sitting para-alpine skiing since 2014. After the 2016 Paralympic Games, she focused on this sport. In December 2021, she managed to qualify for the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing.[3][4] At the 2021 World Para Snow Sports Championships held in Lillehammer, Norway, van Bergen won the silver medal in the downhill event.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Barbara van Bergen - Alpine Skiing, Wheelchair Basketball | Paralympic Athlete Profile". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Wheelchair Basketball - Netherlands". www.paralympic.org. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Barbara van Bergen campaigns for more women in Para sport". paralympic.org. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Vijf alpineskiërs en drie snowboarders naar Paralympische Spelen Beijing". Team NL (in Dutch). 17 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Winter Paralympics preview: Para alpine skiing day one". paralympic.org. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
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