Sports Physician - Athlete 1946

1946

Dutch rower Piet Bon (1946-) was selected for the coxed eight for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico. After obtaining his medical degree at the University of Amsterdam, he settled as a general practitioner in the Dutch capital and became the team physician at football club Ajax Amsterdam. His father Simon Bon (1904-1987) was also a physician and was also selected as a rower for the 1924 Olympics in Paris.

1946

Australian John Harrison (1946-) played competitive cricket, rugby and water polo in Sydney. From 1962 to 1969 he studied Medicine at Sydney University. He interrupted these studies for a year to prepare with the Australian water polo team for the Olympic participation of Mexico. But the Aussies were unfortunately not allowed to participate due to a technical conflict between the Australian Olympic Committee and the Australian Swimming Union: both institutions refused to pay the costs. The players then provided the necessary funds themselves and after traveling half the world to end up in Mexico, IOC President Avery Brundage (1887-1975) refused the participation of the Aussies. Harrison moved to the United Kingdom where he specialized in Surgery at London's St Bartholomew's Hospital. Afterwards he returned to Sydney, where he completed his specialization in Orthopedic Surgery. He became the team physician of the Australian womens's water polo team that participated in the 1994 World Cup in Rome. At the 2004 and 2008 Olympics in Athens and Beijing, he was the manager and team physician of the Australian men's water polo team.

1946

American swimmer Stephen Rerych (1946-) won two gold medals at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico. With the relay team 4 x 100m freestyle, in a new world record of 3.31.7, and with the relay team 4 x 200m freestyle. He also participated in the individual 200m freestyle but could not qualify for the final. In 1974 he graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, after which he specialized in surgery with special interest in Thoracic Surgery. In 1986 he became head of the Department of General, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery at Duke University and Veteran's Medical Center in Asheville, North Carolina.

1946

Eduard Thelen (1946-) was Olympic champion with the German hockey team at the 1972 Olympics in Munich during which he played all nine games. In total he was selected for 38 international matches. He was a member of Rot-Weiss Köln with which he won the German title in 1972, 1973 and 1974. After graduating, he specialized in Orthopedic Surgery and started a practice in Cologne.

1946

Liesbeth Vosmaer-de Bruin (1946-) represented the Netherlands at several international rowing competitions. In 1976 she was selected for the coxed four for the Olympics in Montreal, the quartet finished fifth in the final. She studied mathematics and physics at the University of Amsterdam but switched to Medicine. After graduating she specialized in Sports Medicine and Exercise Physiology.