Inge de Bruijn is a swimmer who has competed for the Netherlands. She competed at the 1992, 2000, and 2004 Summer Olympic Games. She won a total of eight medals throughout her Olympic career (four gold, two silver, and two bronze).
De Bruijn started her Olympic career at Barcelona 1992. There, she dropped to last among the top eight finalists in the 50 metres freestyle. She also swam through the third leg in the heats of the 4x100 metres freestyle relay before Karin Brienesse replaced her on the Dutch women's team that finished fifth in the final.
Sydney 2000 hit the peak of De Bruijn's competitive swimming career. She won three individual golds each in the sprint freestyle double (50 and 100) and the 100 metres butterfly and set world records in all three events. Four years later in Athens, she managed to retain her title in the 50 metres freestyle, but she trailed the winner Jodie Henry by 0.32 of a second for a silver in the 100. She also added a bronze to her medal haul in the 100 metres butterfly, lagging almost three tenths of a second (0.3) behind the winner Petria Thomas. De Bruijn's gold medal triumph in Athens, aged 31, made her the oldest Olympic champion in swimming history until Anthony Ervin surpassed the mark at age 35 in 2016. She retired from competitive swimming in 2007.
She is the older sister of Sydney 2000 water polo player Matthijs de Bruijn.
Olympic Results[]
| Year | Event | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Women's 50m freestyle | 8th |
| Women's 100m butterfly | 9th | |
| Women's 4x100m freestyle relay | 5th | |
| Women's 4x100m medley relay | 8th | |
| 2000 | Women's 50m freestyle | 
|
| Women's 100m freestyle |
| |
| Women's 100m butterfly |
| |
| Women's 4x100m freestyle relay | 
| |
| 2004 | Women's 50m freestyle |
|
| Women's 100m freestyle |
| |
| Women's 100m butterfly | 
| |
| Women's 4x100m freestyle relay |
| |
| Women's 4x100m medley relay | 6th |
1992[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 25.86 |
| A Final | 25.84 | |
| 100 metres butterfly | Heats | 1:01.12 |
| B Final | 1:01.02 | |
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:44.00 (56.03 split) |
| Final | 3:43.74 (Reserve) | |
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 4:11.25 (1:00.64 split) |
| Final | 4:10.87 (1:00.39 split) |
2000[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 24.46 | OR |
| Semifinal | 24.13 | WR | |
| Final | 24.32 | ||
| 100 metres freestyle | Heats | 54.77 | |
| Semifinal | 53.77 | WR | |
| Final | 53.83 | ||
| 100 metres butterfly | Heats | 57.60 | OR |
| Semifinal | 57.14 | OR | |
| Final | 56.61 | WR | |
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:42.32 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 3:39.83 (53.41 split) |
AR |
2004[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 24.66 |
| Semifinal | 24.56 | |
| Final | 24.58 | |
| 100 metres freestyle | Heats | 54.43 |
| Semifinal | 54.06 | |
| Final | 54.16 | |
| 100 metres butterfly | Heats | 58.47 |
| Semifinal | 57.50 | |
| Final | 57.99 | |
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:39.93 (Reserve) |
| Final | 3:37.59 (53.37 split) | |
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 4:08.72 (Reserve) |
| Final | 4:07.36 (58.85 split) |