Support young Wageningen top athletes with the Fund Niels Smith

Two WUR students received on 25 April 2017 a sport scholarship to the amount of 1.500 euro of the Fund Niels Smith, one of the funds of University Fund Wageningen.

The students, Dèlenn van Oostrom (21) and Hilde Jager (19) are talented top athletes who got an extra impulse allowing them to combine their passion with their study. The scholarships are handed over by the founder of the fund, mrs. Marianne Remmers.
On behalf of UFW, congratulations! The Fund Niels Smith helps young top athletes to fulfil their dream. The money can be used for material purchases, sports internships, training camps abroad, participation costs in competitions as well as travel expenses.

Two WUR students received on 25 April 2017 a sport scholarship to the amount of 1.500 euro of the Fund Niels Smith, one of the funds of University Fund Wageningen.

The students, Dèlenn van Oostrom (21) and Hilde Jager (19) are talented top athletes who got an extra impulse allowing them to combine their passion with their study. The scholarships are handed over by the founder of the fund, mrs. Marianne Remmers. On behalf of UFW, congratulations! The Fund Niels Smith helps young top athletes to fulfil their dream. The money can be used for material purchases, sports internships, training camps abroad, participation costs in competitions as well as travel expenses.

Judoka Krijn Schetters studies Biosystems at Wageningen University. His ambition is to win medals at the European Cups. He would like to prove that he belongs to the best. With help of the Fund Niels Smith he is able to combine his studies with being a judoka. Because of the Fund he had the possibility to participate in a few European contests and also he was able to buy new sports gear.

“I am so grateful for the support of the Fund Niels Smith, because of them I had the chance to reach my goals.”

Professional Latin dancer Dieuwertje de Wagenaar studies Landscape Architecture at Wageningen University. Three years ago she discovered dancing as her passion. Since then she worked very hard to get to the top. Her hard work was rewarded in 2014 when she participated in the finals of the Dutch Championships. “Thanks to the Fund Niels Smith I get more acknowledgement for my Latin dancing and that is something I am really grateful for."

Archer Carrie Wegh

Archer Carrie Wegh is following the Master Nutrition and Health at Wageningen University. She is achieving good results at the juniors and seniors competitions with her archery. Her goal is to participate in the Olympic Games. Carrie does not yet have a paid NOC*NSF status. She uses the contribution from the fund to compensate for the extra costs that she makes in order to combine her archery with her studies.

Speed skater Mayon Kuipers

Speed skater Mayon Kuipers follows the Food Technology study at the Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences. Her goal is to participate in the World Championships short track- and long track speed skating. She would also like to participate in the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014. She buys material with the contribution that she receives from the fund.

Mayon is member of the Liga speed skating team this season and you can follow Mayon via the team Liga website.

Javelin thrower Evelien Dekkers

Javelin thrower Evelien Dekker is a Master Food Technology student at Wageningen University. “I have been in track and field athletics since I was six years old. When I was 16, I began to specialise in spear- and discus throwing.” She caught the interest of various U.S. universities through her accomplishments at international junior competitions. She studied Food Science for four years at the University of Florida and combined her sports and study there. She became the U.S. student championships winner in javelin throwing in 2010. As a result of combining top sports with a study, Evelien cannot take a student job even though the costs of practicing this sport are considerable. Evelien is very happy with the contribution she receives from the Fund Niels Smith.

Evelien gives shot put- and discus training to young athletes between 12-17 years old. “I hope the top in the Dutch javelin throw can convince the Dutch Athletics Association to invest more money in this wonderful element of track and field.”

Establishment of the fund

Niels Smith was a talented soccer player, sportsmanlike and very involved. His attitude was one that could turn a losing game into a winning attitude so his team would not only come close, but would actually win the game. That small push in the right direction was all that was needed.

Niels always knew when to give that extra impulse, no matter how small. His death, chosen by himself at 15 years of age, was an enormous blow. The impulse was gone. Something had to be done with the energy that Niels gave to sports during his short life. Of this his mother, Marianne Remmers, was immediately convinced.

His ‘sports energy’ must live on in one form or another and Marianne decided to create the Fund Niels Smith in his memory. A fund that provides sporters with that ‘small impulse’ to help them fulfil their dreams.

Marianne says, “My dream is to support talented Wageningen- or Van Hall Larenstein sporters in their specific sports programme, within or outside of the Netherlands. I would also like to support foreign top sporters who choose to combine a study at Wageningen University or Van Hall Larenstein with their sports programme.”