Olympic Hockey Player
Lidewij is one of the most successful Dutch team athletes ever, with three Olympic gold medals. In her lecture, she offers a behind-the-scenes look at elite sports and shares inspiring stories about performing under extreme pressure, teamwork, and her impressive comeback after a severe injury.
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With four Olympic Games to her name, three of which resulted in gold, Lidewij ranks among the most successful team athletes the Netherlands has ever known. After 19 years of playing hockey at the highest level, she takes you behind the scenes of absolute world-class sports in her lecture.
Lidewij shares unique and inspiring experiences, such as the moment in Alicante 2012, where the Dutch team was handed over to the military. How do you handle extreme pressure? How do you perform when it really matters?
She also shares the personal story of her remarkable comeback leading up to Tokyo 2021: a severe injury with an expected recovery time of 6 to 9 months occurred 10 weeks before the Games. 12 weeks later, Lidewij won gold. What does that demand physically and mentally? And what can others learn from her mindset, rehabilitation, and elite sports culture?
Resilience begins with accepting that things aren’t going as you had hoped
Lidewij’s story is one of discipline, perseverance, and vulnerable honesty. Full of insights into mental resilience, teamwork, performing under pressure, and recovery.
For organizations, teams, or events looking for a powerful speaker with an authentic story.
Lidewij speaks openly and honestly about her severe injury just before the Olympic Games in Tokyo – and how she managed to return to the highest level in a short time. She shows how to maintain perspective in uncertain circumstances, regain your focus, and learn to cope with setbacks.
Olympic finals, penalty shoot-outs, recovery against the clock, Lidewij knows what it’s like when something is truly at stake. She shares how she stayed sharp in such moments, made decisions under pressure, and found space to continue trusting herself. Themes that are recognisable for anyone who has to perform in a demanding environment.
The success of the Dutch hockey team was more than talent or tactics; it was about trust, mutual openness, and a collective way of working. Lidewij explains how that culture emerged and why safety and connection are essential within any team, whether in sports or beyond.
Ambition is important, but the path to it is rarely straight. Lidewij shows how goals can provide direction, but also how important it is to remain flexible. She reflects on moments when she had to adjust her course without losing sight of the end goal. A story about perseverance, adjusting, and staying true to yourself.
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