The quartet Liemarvin Bonevacia, Terrence Agard, Tony van Diepen and Ramsey Angela won a silver medal after the final 4×400 meters men in the Olympic Stadium a couple of weeks ago. Even though they ran under the Dutch flag, Bonevacia, Agard, and Angela also represented Curaçao fantastically. The name of our island was being announced in every news item in the Netherlands and the guys made us all emotional with their words of dedication to their families and their beloved Curaçao. These were words from their heart, in their native language Papiamentu. Besides this outstanding performance, Bonevacia also broke the record for being the first Dutch athlete in an Olympic final in 400 meters. At this moment he is still on the field, breaking more records in Bern, Switzerland. Even though he has a tough and intense schedule, he was able to have a phone call with Island Sportlight to reminiscence about his unforgettable experience in Tokyo.
It is impossible to forget Bonevacia’s enthusiasm and spirit of determination before leaving to Tokyo. He was focused on his goal and he showed once again that hard work definitely pays off and that dreams do come true. “Tokyo 2021 was definitely what I expected. Besides winning a silver medal with the team, I broke the record for being the first Dutch athlete in an Olympic final in the 400 meters. Being part of three finals in the Olympics is definitely something to be proud of” Bonevacia mentions at the beginning of our phone call. When talking to him about his achievements, it is incredible feeling the excitement and drill in his voice. “We all know that the Olympics this year were something completely different compared to the previous years because of Covid-19. We could not leave the hotel, we needed to get tested every day and spending time with the Dutch team was limited. It was also different to perform without an audience. There was no support of the crowd, but deep-down I knew the people of the Netherlands and Curaçao were in front of the TV cheering” he continues.
Next to all the achievements, there were also moments of disappointment. The Dutch team consisted of Ramsey Angela, LiekeKlaver, FemkeBol and Liemarvin Bonevacia missed out on a medal in the Olympic final of the 4×400 meter mixed relay. The team was focused on the gold medal, but unfortunately, they missed this chance. “Honestly, I was very disappointed. I took my time to get my emotions out and the next day I was already on the field focusing on the next. This is part of the job. People see us performing, but there is so much going on behind the scenes. To be at the Olympics means to be strong mentally. Every day brings new choices. You cannot focus on disappointments, but be your best version every single day” Bonevacia explains.
One of the most memorable moments of his career was definitely the fact that he broke the record for being the first Dutch athlete in an Olympic final in 400 meters. A personal achievement for the books! “When I reached the finals, I received so much support from other European athletes as well. They wished me the best of luck because I was also representing them. Even though I did not reach a medal in this round, breaking this record means so much to me and my career” he mentions.
The last ride in Tokyo became the last opportunity to win a medal. And yes, they did it! Not only the Netherlands, but also Curaçao started celebrating this great achievement. Videos of our athletes with their words of dedication immediately became viral and the feeling of proudness overruled in our community. “We won this medal under the Dutch flag, but this medal is also dedicated to Curaçao. I was running under the Curaçao flag in my heart” Bonevacia continues.
The Netherlands finished the Tokyo Olympics with a total of 36 medals and placed seventh in the overall ranking. After the Olympics King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima received all the winners at Noordeinde Palace. This was definitely an unforgettable and unique moment. The athletes had a nice conversation with the King, who is a real sports fan and an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee.
At this moment, he still continues to amaze. In Bern, Switzerland, Bonevacia raced a time of 44.48. This made him 14 hundredths faster than his own Dutch record, which he ran at the Olympic Games. Moreover, Bonevacia won the race in Berne: he was almost half a second faster than number two KajetanDuszynski from Poland. “I keep pushing, I keep working in becoming my best version every day. I love my job and I am determined to keep on rising.”