Ton Eijkenboom

The Official Report of the 1968 Olympic Games mentions Ton Eijkenboom as a non-finishing competitor in the Olympic marathon, even recording a split time that would put him in 10th place after 10 km. But Ton Eijkenboom, although in Mexico, never raced in the marathon. In Paauw and Bijkerk’s 1996 book “Olympisch Oranje”, Eijkenboom explains that due to a large number of rowing coaches, there were insufficient quota for him as an athletics coach. It was therefore decided to enter him as a participant in the marathon. But “how my name ended up in the results, is a mystery to me”.

Eijkenboom’s impact on Dutch athletics exceeded this administrative incident. He started out as a coach for the Dutch federation in 1960, and remained active as a federation or personal coach for over 45 years, specializing in the combined events. Although his fragile hips forced him to coach from a mobility scooter from a young age, he was still a very effective coach, and his athletes are said to have won over 300 medals at Dutch national championships.

He was awarded for his services by the Dutch trand and field federation with a Golden cross of honor in 1991. Eijkenboom is also remembered as one of the inspirators for the Omnisport complex in Apeldoorn, today the primary Dutch indoor track facility.