Jetze Plat

About Jetze Plat

Jetze was born in Amsterdam. From birth, it was clear that something was wrong with his legs. He has a shortened thigh on his left leg and a knee without ligaments. On his right leg, he is missing his entire thigh, and his lower leg is attached to his torso. Initially, he could still walk with an orthopedic shoe that was elevated, but the difference in leg length kept increasing, leading to the shoe being replaced by a prosthesis.

Until he was 16, he had a prosthesis where his foot was positioned in a spike in the socket. In December 2007, his foot was amputated; this was the best choice as he was increasingly suffering from pressure sores in his prosthesis. After a long recovery, he was fortunately able to walk again. This took longer than expected because they were trying out a different type of prosthesis, which did not allow him to walk, and after 3 months, a new prosthesis was made in the old way, allowing him to walk well again.

To be able to bike to school – which was not possible on a regular bike – his parents searched for another option. When they were at the rehabilitation center in Amsterdam for his prosthesis, they saw a handbike being used. They were not aware of its existence at that time, and after some searching, they ended up at Double Performance in Gouda. That was where his first handbike came from, in the year 1995. He used this bike to go to elementary school, 2 km from home.

In September 2010, Jetze started working at Double Performance in Gouda. He worked in the workshop repairing (sports) wheelchairs and handbikes, eventually growing into a consultant role to fit (sports) wheelchairs. However, things took a different turn. In early May 2011, he achieved a podium finish at a World Cup event, earning a nomination for the Paralympic Games in London, September 2012. This earned him an A-status from NOC*NSF, which means he receives a minimum income from the Dutch sports umbrella organization NOC*NSF. After a difficult decision, as he enjoyed his job immensely but also wanted to continue with sports, he decided, in good consultation with his employers Kees van Breukelen and René Koster, to stop working.

This allowed him to focus 100% on sports and get the most out of himself. In London 2012, he achieved a personal best result of 4th place in the road race, which was very disappointing for him. After a few months, he realized that only focusing on sports was not beneficial for him. He did not make time for a social life, and as a result, he was living in a tunnel. He was allowed to return to Double Performance part-time to combine sports and work as best as possible.

At the end of 2013, he ultimately decided to fully focus on top-level sports, now definitively. He was increasingly invited for presentations and interviews as an ambassador. This was very special and also beneficial for a proper balance. He became an ambassador for ‘Move Forward’, the Doping Authority (100% Dope Free & BeProud campaigns), and the Disabled Sports Fund.

His athletic development continued as well. The first paratriathlon competitions went very well, leading to the dream of qualifying for both sports for Rio de Janeiro. This was successful; 2016 became a remarkable year. He qualified as the only Dutch athlete for two different sports, hand cycling and triathlon. In preparation for Rio, he won a significant World Cup (time trial) in Ostend, became World Champion in triathlon, and during his second Paralympic Games, he won a GOLD medal (triathlon) and a bronze in hand cycling. He was the only male athlete to win two medals in two different sports.

The 2017 season surpassed all previous years. His debut in the Ironman triathlon (Luxembourg and Hawaii) saw him set course records and finish in the top 30 overall (26th) as the first Paralympic athlete in the world’s most famous Ironman in Hawaii. He also achieved his very first World title in hand cycling, both in the time trial and the road race. To top it off, he became World and European champion in triathlon (sprint) and set the World record in the handbike marathon (42.195 km in 58m39s). At the end of the season, he was named Paralympic Athlete of 2017, received a nomination for a Laureus Award, and was named Sportsman of the Year by the Dutch triathlon federation. A year to remember!

In Tokyo, Jetze achieved the highest honor; three gold medals in two sports (triathlon and handbike time trial and road race). ‘Nothing is impossible’ is also the slogan of Jetze, which he uses to inspire others.

In 2028, Jetze will take on a new and special role as Chef de Mission of the Dutch Paralympic team at the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, where he will use his experience as an elite athlete to inspire and represent the team.

Honorary Titles:

3-time Paralympic Sportsman of the Year
4 Gold medals and 1 Bronze at the Paralympic Games
8 World titles in hand cycling
9 World titles in triathlon
World hour record in hand cycling
World record in Ironman Triathlon