12 Facts About Joan Haanappel

Joan Haanappel was a Dutch figure skater and sports presenter for NOS, AVRO, ZDF and Eurosport.

Joan Haanappel was a three-time European bronze medalist and a four-time Dutch national champion.

Joan Haanappel won the first of her four Dutch national titles in 1955.

Joan Haanappel finished 13th at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

In 1958, Joan Haanappel became the first Dutch figure skater to win a continental medal, finishing third behind Austrian duo Ingrid Wendl and Hanna Walter at the 1958 European Championships in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.

Joan Haanappel took bronze at the 1959 European Championships in Davos, Switzerland, joining Walter and Dijkstra on the podium.

Joan Haanappel won gold at the Richmond Trophy and finished second again to Dijkstra at the Dutch Championships.

Joan Haanappel won her third consecutive bronze medal at the 1960 European Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, West Germany, and then placed 5th at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, Placer County, California.

In 1976, Joan Haanappel began a 30-year television career as a presenter and sports commentator.

Joan Haanappel worked for Studio Sport, Eurosport, the sports division at ZDF, and as a freelancer.

In 2005, Joan Haanappel was appointed to the figure skating committee of the Royal Netherlands Skating Federation.

Joan Haanappel died on 23 February 2024, at the age of 83.