Ria van Velsen
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Full name | Maria Martina "Ria"•van Velsen (-Racké) |
| Used name | Ria•van Velsen |
| Born | 22 March 1943 in Den Haag (The Hague), Zuid-Holland (NED) |
| Died | 25 October 2025 (aged 82 years 7 months 3 days) in Den Haag (The Hague), Zuid-Holland (NED) |
| Measurements | 175 cm / 64 kg |
| Affiliations | ZIAN, Den Haag (NED) |
| NOC |  Netherlands |
Biography
Ria van Velsen débuted internationally as a backstroke swimmer aged just 14. A few months later, now 15, Van Velsen first broke the world record in the 100 m backstroke. Her time of 1:12.3 stood just three days before Margaret Edwards bettered it. Van Velsen regained the record a year later, and would better it twice more in 1960. She did not manage to convert these fast times into medals. At the 1958 European Championships, she placed 5th, while at the 1960 Rome Olympics she placed 7th, with Lynn Burke, who had also bettered Van Velsen’s world record, taking the gold. In 1962, Van Velsen claimed her international title, winning gold at the European Championships in Leipzig. At the same tournament, she was also the starting swimmer for the Dutch medley relay team that placed second behind East Germany. After the 1964 Games, where she failed to reach the 100 backstroke final, Van Velsen largely retired from competitive swimming - she would still compete in club competitions and water polo.
Van Velsen, who won four Dutch titles in the 100 m backstroke (1959, 1962-4), married Fred Racké, a sports journalist specializing in speed skating and cycling, in 1977.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | NED |
Ria van Velsen | |||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 7 | |||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic) | Netherlands | 4 | ||||
| 1964 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | NED |
Ria van Velsen | |||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | =19 |
List mentions
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m backstroke – 20 July 1958 - 23 July 1958, 26 July 1959 - 6 September 1959, and 12 June 1960 - 17 July 1960: 1:12.3 (20 July 1958; Nijmegen, NED), 1:11.7 (26 July 1959; Waalwijk, NED), 1:11.0 (12 June 1960; Leipzig, GDR), 1:10.9 (10 July 1960; Maastricht, NED); 4×100 m medley relay – 26 July 1959 - 6 September 1959 and 28 June 1964 - 4 July 1964: 4:51.5 (26 July 1959; Waalwijk, NED), 4:39.1 (28 June 1964; Groningen, NED))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Aquatics Championships (1–1–0 1962 Leipzig SWM gold: 100 m backstroke, silver: 4×100 m medley relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m backstroke – 20 July 1958 - 23 July 1958, 26 July 1959 - 1 September 1960, and 19 August 1961 - 23 June 1963: 1:12.3 (20 July 1958; Nijmwegen, NED), 1:11.7 (26 July 1959; Waalwijk, NED), 1:11.0 (12 June 1960; Leipzig, GDR), 1:10.9 (10 July 1960; Maastricht, NED), 1:10.6 (19 August 1961; Zwolle, NED), 1:10.5 (19 August 1961; Zwolle, NED), 1:10.3 (17 March 1962; Rotterdam, NED), 1:10.2 (5 August 1962; Soest, FRG), 1:10.1 (9 September 1962; Rotterdam, NED); 4×100 m medley relay – 26 July 1959 - 15 July 1960 and 28 June 1964 - 18 October 1964: 4:51.5 (26 July 1959; Waalwijk, NED), 4:47.3 (12 June 1960; Leipzig, GDR), 4:39.1 (28 June 1964; Groningen, NED))