After two largely unremarkable Olympics in the short course events – with a 6th place as part of the 2012 4x100m relay her best performance – the 22-year-old showed her prowess over long distances with a storming victory in the women’s 10km.
With Fort Copacabana at one end of the course and the iconic Sugar Loaf Mountain at the other, Van Rouwendaal delivered a towering display with the result never in doubt as she entered the final few kilometres.
What makes it even more impressive was that it was only six weeks before the start of the Games that Van Rouwendaal thought she could compete, having battled a shoulder injury. “It’s not been a great year for me,” she said.
We can safely say that’s changed.
