15 Facts About Letitia Vriesde

Letitia Alma Vriesde was born on 5 October 1964 and is a former track and field athlete from Suriname, who specialised in the 800 metres but was successful over 1500 metres.

Letitia Vriesde is the first sportsperson from Suriname to compete at five Olympic Games.

Letitia Vriesde won a silver medal at the 1995 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships.

Letitia Vriesde started running in Suriname, coached by Luiz de Oliveira.

Letitia Vriesde left Suriname after failing to be selected for the 1984 Olympics to train in the Netherlands.

Letitia Vriesde competed in the 800 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics, and broke into the highest echelons of the sport in 1991, when she reached the finals of both the 800 and 1500 metres at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo, finishing in fifth and ninth places respectively.

At the 1992 Summer Olympics Letitia Vriesde set a record of sorts by recording the fastest ever non-qualifying time in an 800 metres semi-final.

Letitia Vriesde won a bronze medal in the 800 metres at the 1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships, before going on to win a silver medal at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics behind Cuba's Ana Quirot.

Letitia Vriesde won a bronze medal in the 800 metres at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics behind Mozambique's Maria Mutola and Austria's Stephanie Graf.

Letitia Vriesde was disqualified and stripped of her gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Games after testing positive for excessive caffeine levels.

Letitia Vriesde was said to have the equivalent of five gallons of coffee in her system.

Letitia Vriesde was not banned however and went on to compete at that year's World Championships.

Letitia Vriesde retired soon after competing at her seventh World Championships in 2005.

Letitia Vriesde married Bas van Veen on 9 September 2005 in Middelburg, Holland.

Letitia Vriesde's daughter Joi Vienna was born on 19 March 2007.