Quirien Jonker

Quirien Klaversteijn-Jonker is a Dutch Paralympic swimmer from Soest. She won two silver medals at the 1972 Summer Paralympics. At the 1971 Stoke Mandeville Games she won a gold medal in a new world record, and also won a silver medal.

Career​

Having polio Jonker competed in swimming competitions in disability class 3. She was selected to represent the Netherlands at the 1971 Stoke Mandeville Games, the World Games in Great Britain, in July 1971. She became champion in the 25 m backstroke event in a new world record with a time of 33.8 seconds. She won furthermore a silver medal in the 25 m breaststroke event. At the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg she won two silver medals. She finished second in the 25 m backstroke behind Henny Hilberink. Together with Netty van der Krieke and Sonja Graveland she won also the silver medal in the 3x 50 metres relay event.

Personal​

Jonker had polio. The mother of Jonker was Else Jonker-Driessen. She had four brothers and sisters. Jonker lived in Soest where she worked as a teacher at the Margrietschool. Jonker married Jan J. Klaversteijn in Soest on 21 December 1972. They moved to Bunnik. They have two sons: Jan and Erik. In the 1990s Jonker was secretary of the VSN, Post-polio Support Group in Bunnik.