Marrit Steenbergen Headlines Netherlands Squad for Paris 2026

Marrit Steenbergen headlines a 24-strong Netherlands squad for the European Championships in Paris next month.

On top of the squad for the pool programme which runs from 10-16 August at the Olympic Aquatic Centre in Saint-Denis, Hedwig Bolt will compete in the women’s 10k in the River Seine.

Steenbergen will head to Paris atop the world in the 100 free. The three-time world champion soared to the world record at last month’s Sette Colli, slicing 0.03 from Sarah Sjöström’s 2017 mark in 51.68.

At the Dutch Championships, which ended on Sunday, Steenbergen – coached by Patrick Pearson in Eindhoven – went 51.82 for the third-fastest time in history and second in her own personal pantheon.

It was her fourth time through the 52-second barrier, a depth unmatched by any other woman.

She also set a 58.33 Dutch record in the 100 back and hit PBs in the 50 back (27.40) and 50 free (24.09) and will take on the 50/100 free and 50/100 back in the French capital.

The 26-year-old won four golds – including the 100/200 free double – at the 2022 Europeans in Rome – and has 12 continental medals in her collection.

Tes Schouten will return to top-level international competition, two years after Olympic 200 breast bronze in Paris. However, in November that year she suffered from extreme fatigue, nerve pain, and lost power on the entire left side of her body which required an 11-day hospital stay.

Arno Kamminga – who won double silver in the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the Tokyo Olympics – didn’t qualify for the team.

Netherlands Squad for the European Championships, Paris