The 1956 Sportsman of the Year in Suriname, Wim Esajas set national records in distances between 800 and 3000 metres. He was to be Surinam’s first Olympian in 1960, set to compete for the nation (then still a Dutch colony) in the 800 metres. Despite being present in Rome, he did not show for his heat, reportedly having overslept. This incident, which caused some to call him ‘de schone slaper’ (“Sleeping beauty”), haunted Esajas for the rest of his life. This was all the more sad due to the fact that it hadn’t been Esajas’ fault. Records of the Surinam NOC, unearthed months before Esajas’ death, showed that official Fred Glans had incorrectly informed Esajas his race had been postponed until the afternoon. Studying horticulture in the Netherlands, Esajas returned to Surinam as a flower grower.
Suriname