Epke Zonderland

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Epke Zonderland is a Dutch artistic gymnast famous for his high bar routine. Known as The Flying Dutchman, he was born on April 16, 1986, in Lemmer, Netherlands, and started gymnastics when he was four. He comes from a family of gymnasts and trained with TSN Heerenveen. He also studied medicine at the University of Groningen and earned his medical degree in 2018 after 12 years of balancing school with gymnastics.

Career highlights
- 2012 Olympic gold on the high bar in London. His performance was widely praised for its difficulty and precision, and he became the first Dutch man to win an Olympic gymnastics medal in many decades.
- Four-time Olympian (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020).
- World Champion on high bar three times: 2013 (Antwerp), 2014 (Nanning), and 2018 (Doha). He was the first man to win three high bar world titles.
- European Champion on high bar in 2011 and 2014 (Sofia).

Injuries and comebacks
- He faced injuries in 2015 and 2016, including a concussion and a thumb injury, which affected his competition in those years.
- At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, he fell during his high bar routine and did not defend his title.

Personal life
- Epke married Linda Steen in 2016. They have three children: Bert Eize (born 2018), Jan (born 2021), and Sophie (born 2022).

Zonderland is widely respected for his artistry and consistency on the high bar, and he remains a standout figure in Dutch and international gymnastics.