Who is Marrit Steenbergen? Everything we know about the Dutch breakout swimmer

20-year-old Marrit Steenbergen reintroduced herself to the swimming world this year. At the 2015 European Games, the Dutch freestyle champion recorded some of her best performances since breaking into the top international racing scene.

At the Long Course World Championships, Steenbergen launched her successful 2022 campaign with a crucial freestyle anchor position in her nation's mixed medley relay. She comfortably qualified as the field's fastest woman in Budapest with a split of 52.55, aiding the Dutch team in securing bronze behind the US and Australia.

The Dutch swimmer served in the European Championships in Rome and turned in some incredible swims. She ultimately finished first in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle solo events and also won silver in the 200-meter IM.

She was instrumental in helping the Netherlands earn gold medals at the European Championships in the women's 4x200-meter free relay and the 4x100-meter mixed medley, as well as bronze medals in the women's 4x100-meter free and 4x100-meter medley relays.

Melbourne 2022 FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships - Day 6

Steenbergen still had the Short Course World Championships to win, so she was far from done. She competed in the challenging 100-meter free final and 100-meter IM semifinal on the same night in Melbourne, where she ultimately won bronze and gold in the respective events.

She crushed the 100-meter free with a time of 51.25, a new personal best and good enough for bronze. She now ranks as the second-best performer in Netherlands history, only behind former Olympic champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo.

In 100-meter IM, she took first place and won gold at a time of 57.53, setting a new record for the country.

The 22-year-old was able to win a bronze medal in the 200-meter freestyle event and was the anchor for the Netherlands' mixed 4x50-meter free relay team, which also won bronze.

---

Marrit Steenbergen's early life and career

Marrit Steenbergen is a Dutch competitive swimmer who was born on January 11, 2000.

Her swimming career started at the 2013 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival, where 13-year-old Steenbergen competed and won two silver medals in the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter freestyle.

At the first-ever 2015 European Games in Baku on June 2015, the Dutch swimmer participated and won gold in the 100m freestyle with a time of 53.97 seconds. She also took home five silver medals in the 50-meter, 200-meter, 4x200-meter, 4x100-meter, and 4x100-meter freestyle events. The swimming portion of the competition was restricted to young athletes only.

Steenbergen also competed in two relay events for the Netherlands at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships. She competed in the women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay on the first day of the competition, swimming the third leg in the final and the second leg in the heats. In the mixed 4x100-meter freestyle, she swam the third leg in the heats and took home another silver medal despite not swimming in the final.

Steenbergen earned her first senior-level international championship medal at the 2015 European Short Course Championships in a single event in December of that year. In the 100-meter individual medley, she finished third in 59.0 seconds, trailing only Katinka Hossz, who set a world record, and Siobhan-Marie O'Connor.

Steenbergen then earned spots in the 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter freestyle relays at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Summer Olympics. She swam the opening leg as the team finished fourth in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay final. In the heats of the 200-meter individual medley, which she also competed in, she placed 34th.

She has since gone on to win gold at the 2022 European Championships in Rome, Italy in the 100 and 200-meter freestyle events.