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Aschwin WILDEBOER
Sport Swimming
NOC Spain   
GenderMen
Born14 Feb 1986 in Sabadell, ESP
Height1.85 m
 Human Interest 
General Interest
Famous relatives
 His father Paulus served as coach of the CN Sabadell swimming club in Spain. His brother Olaf represented Spain in swimming at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, before he began representing the Netherlands in 2006. Olaf went on to become a coach at Hovedstadens Svommeklub in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Olaf Wildeboer Twitter profile, 02 Aug 2018; ara.cat, 28 Jul 2016; notinat.com.es, 07 Jan 2008; nrc.nl, 02 Jun 2006)
Awards and honours
 In 2008, 2009 and 2010 he was named Athlete of the Year in Sabadell, Spain. (aschwinwildeboer.com, 01 Jan 2011)
Other information
 RETIREMENT
He announced his retirement from competitive swimming in March 2020. "Everyone knows me for being a very happy, easy-going and carefree person. In part I am. And if I am, it is thanks to everything that swimming has given me. I would take the same path a million times." (as.com, 10 Mar 2020)

COACHING
In July 2018 he joined the coaching staff of CN Sabadell in Spain to work on developing young swimmers. "Something that I would like to do is to help young swimmers with their technique. I want to get into the water, correct them, see them and make them see me. Many times, if it's just the coaches who give them instructions, these are quickly forgotten. It is very different if a swimmer teaches them and that could [help them] make a huge leap in their development." (mundodeportivo.com, 06 Apr 2019, 19 Jul 2018; nataciosabadell.com, 01 Oct 2018)

COMPETITIVE BREAKS
After the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, he did not compete again until 2015. During that period, his father Paulus died of cancer and he moved to live in Australia for a period. "I needed to disconnect, to get away a little." He also did not compete from early 2016 to November 2017. "Sports science, biomechanics, competition analysis, nutrition and recovery, have all advanced so much that now it is possible to extend a career, doing more effective training without burning out." (marca.com, 17 Mar 2016; mundodeportivo.com, 27 Nov 2017)

HERITAGE
He was born to Dutch parents who in 1978 moved to Sabadell, Spain, where his father became the coach of the local swimming club. He holds both Spanish and Dutch citizenship. He spent four years in Denmark being coached by his father before moving back to Spain in 2013 to prepare for the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona. (zwemkroniek.com, 07 Jan 2008; bcn2013.com, 17 Jul 2013)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
 Swimming was a family tradition as both his parents were coaches.
Further Personal Information
Occupation
 Coach
Languages
 Catalan, English, German, Spanish
General Interest
Injuries
 In 2015 he underwent surgery on his left shoulder, which had been causing him pain since 2009. (marca.com, 17 Mar 2016; swimvortex.com, 09 Jan 2015)
Memorable sporting achievement
 Placing seventh in the 100m backstroke at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. "The best moment of my career was before swimming that final when I hugged my father." (as.com, 10 Mar 2020)

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
26 2012 London, ENG 200m Backstroke 2:00.02
12 2012 London, ENG 100m Backstroke 53.99
7 2008 Beijing, CHN 100m Backstroke 53.51
Heats 2008 Beijing, CHN 200m Backstroke  DNS
29 2004 Athens, GRE 200m Backstroke 2:04.33 
Heats 2004 Athens, GRE 100m Backstroke 57.35
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
4 2013 Barcelona, ESP 50m Backstroke 24.58
Heats 2013 Barcelona, ESP 100m Backstroke 54.75
Heats 2013 Barcelona, ESP 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  DSQ
4 2011 Shanghai, CHN 50m Backstroke 24.82
Heat 2011 Shanghai, CHN 200m Backstroke  DNS
Semifinal 2011 Shanghai, CHN 100m Backstroke 54.03
5 2009 Rome, ITA 200m Backstroke 1:54.92
3 2009 Rome, ITA 100m Backstroke 52.64
4 2009 Rome, ITA 50m Backstroke 24.57
Heat 2009 Rome, ITA 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
Heat 2005 Montreal, CAN 100m Backstroke 57.28
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
Heats 2012 Istanbul, TUR 200m Backstroke  DNS
Semifinal 2012 Istanbul, TUR 100m Backstroke 51.16
Heats 2012 Istanbul, TUR 100m Individual Medley  DNS
Semifinal 2012 Istanbul, TUR 50m Backstroke 23.61
3 2010 Dubai, UAE 100m Backstroke 50.04
2 2010 Dubai, UAE 50m Backstroke 23.13
4 2010 Dubai, UAE 200m Backstroke 1:50.01
7 2008 Manchester, ENG 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:29.04
5 2008 Manchester, ENG 200m Backstroke 1:51.36
6 2008 Manchester, ENG 100m Backstroke 50.96
Semifinal 2008 Manchester, ENG 50m Backstroke 23.79
8 2004 Indianapolis, IN, USA 100m Backstroke 53.50
8 2004 Indianapolis, IN, USA 50m Backstroke 24.81
9 2004 Indianapolis, IN, USA 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay  
8 2004 Indianapolis, IN, USA 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:19.44
European Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
Heats 2010 Budapest, HUN 50m Backstroke 25.64
Semifinal 2010 Budapest, HUN 200m Backstroke 1:59.41
7 2010 Budapest, HUN 100m Backstroke 54.38
4 2008 Eindhoven, NED 200m Backstroke 1:58.26
4 2008 Eindhoven, NED 100m Backstroke 54.73
5 2008 Eindhoven, NED 50m Backstroke 25.59
8 2008 Eindhoven, NED 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:40.01
Semi Final 2006 Budapest, HUN 200m Backstroke 2:05.42
Semi Final 2006 Budapest, HUN 50m Backstroke 26.22
Semi Final 2006 Budapest, HUN 100m Backstroke 55.58
Heats 2006 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
14 2004 Madrid, ESP 200m Backstroke 2:04.12
10 2004 Madrid, ESP 100m Backstroke 56.14
7 2004 Madrid, ESP 50m Backstroke 26.37
7 2004 Madrid, ESP 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:43.74
European Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
2 2011 Szczecin, POL 200m Backstroke 1:50.63
1 2011 Szczecin, POL 50m Backstroke 23.43
2 2011 Szczecin, POL 100m Backstroke 50.61
  2009 Istanbul, TUR 100m Individual Medley  DNS
  2009 Istanbul, TUR 200m Backstroke  DNS
3 2009 Istanbul, TUR 100m Backstroke 49.05
3 2009 Istanbul, TUR 50m Backstroke 23.07
6 2009 Istanbul, TUR 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:33.25
2 2008 Rijeka, CRO 100m Backstroke 49.61
2 2008 Rijeka, CRO 50m Backstroke 23.28
1 2008 Rijeka, CRO 200m Backstroke 1:49.22
7 2008 Rijeka, CRO 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:34.78
3 2007 Debrecen, HUN 200m Backstroke 1:52.12
4 2007 Debrecen, HUN 100m Backstroke 51.74
3 2007 Debrecen, HUN 50m Backstroke 23.75
4 2007 Debrecen, HUN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:35.60
16 2005 Trieste, ITA 50m Backstroke  DSQ
14 2005 Trieste, ITA 200m Backstroke 1:57.67
11 2005 Trieste, ITA 100m Backstroke 53.15
9 2005 Trieste, ITA 4 x 50m Medley Relay  
21 2004 Vienna, AUT 100m Backstroke 54.54
11 2004 Vienna, AUT 50m Backstroke 25.05
15 2004 Vienna, AUT 200m Backstroke 1:59.15
6 2004 Vienna, AUT 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:37.64
5 2004 Vienna, AUT 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:28.26
World Cup Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
19 2011   Overall  
3 2011 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 1:52.09
3 2011 Berlin, GER 50m Backstroke 23.83
1 2011 Berlin, GER 100m Backstroke 50.23
1 2009 Berlin, GER 100m Backstroke 49.55
3 2008 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 1:52.98
2 2008 Stockholm, SWE 200m Backstroke 1:52.33
3 2007 Berlin, GER 100m Backstroke 51.89
3 2007 Berlin, GER 200m Backstroke 1:53.68