Ferry Weertman is a Dutch professional swimmer who specializes in marathon swimming, open water swimming, and long-distance swimming. He is a two-time world champion and has competed at the Olympic Games.
Born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on October 23, 1991, Weertman began swimming at a young age and by the time he was fourteen, he was already competing in the European Junior Championships. He went on to compete in the European Junior Open Water Championships in 2009 and the World Junior Championships in 2010.
Weertman made his Olympic debut at the 2012 London Olympics in the 10 km marathon swim. Despite not making it to the podium, Weertman swam a personal best race and finished in 11th place.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he competed in two events – the 10 km Marathon Swim and the 5 km Open Water Swim. He won a silver medal in the 10 km swim and a bronze in the 5 km swim. He was the first Dutch swimmer to medal in both events at the same Olympics.
Weertman continued his international success in 2017, when he won his first world championship title in the 5 km open water swim at the FINA World Championships in Budapest. He followed this up with another gold medal in the 10 km swim at the 2018 World Championships in Hangzhou.
Weertman has also been successful in long-distance swimming events. He won the Dutch National Championships in the 5 km and 10 km swims in 2015 and 2016 respectively. He also won the European 25 km Championships in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Off the pool, Weertman is a keen traveler and a passionate photographer. He spends his free time exploring different countries, capturing moments and memories with his camera. He is also a major advocate for ocean conservation and regularly speaks out about the importance of reducing plastic pollution in the ocean.
Ferry Weertman is an accomplished athlete and a passionate environmentalist. His dedication to his sport and his commitment to making the world a better place make him an inspirational figure to many.
