Miek van Geenhuizen

Miek van Geenhuizen

• Date of Birth: 17 December 1981
• Club: Laren
• Position: Midfield

Miek has won everything there is to win in the game. At club level she has won national titles with Den Bosch hockey club and last season with Amsterdam hockey club. As an experienced international she won the Olympic gold medal in Beijing in 2008 and silver in Athens in 2004. She has also won gold medals with the Dutch team in various Champions Trophies and at the European Championships.

Her favourite match memory is of the world championships in Madrid in 2006. The Dutch team won gold there too. Miek scored an important goal in the semi-final against Argentina that took the Dutch team into the final and ultimately to the title.

Miek on herself

In training I think it’s great playing small games. Strength and fitness training give me no pleasure, but they are part and parcel of things now. I prefer training locations close to home. There’s nowhere better to sleep than in my own bed.
 
I am a football fan and a big fan of Maradona. During the Olympic Games in Beijing he watched our semi-final match against Argentina and came on the pitch at the end. Wonderful!
 
I get really tense during training and matches. So afterwards relaxation is very important for me, preferably after a match on a terrace with friends and a glass of dry white wine. When I have a weekend off I love a lie-in, a late breakfast with a fried egg and above all not planning anything.

Facts about Miek

What does she eat before a game? Two brown bread sandwiches or a bowl of pasta.
 
What is her favourite food? Salted grilled chicken, stuffed with garlic and served with chips and salad.
 
In which sport would she like to excel if she were not a top hockey player? Tennis.
 
Miek’s favourite music? Michael Jackson and 70s & 80s music.

Miek says:

"Better to regret the things you have done than the things you haven’t done."