Sport in Suriname
The Republic of Suriname is a small state located in the northeastern Atlantic coast in South America. There are many kinds of sport that flourished in Suriname one of which is football.
There are many Surinamese players that has come to move on and became pasrt of large European clubs such as Ruud Gullit, Gerald Vanenburg, Frank Rijkaard, Romeo Castelen, Edgar Davids, Aron Winter, Clarence Seedorf, Ryan Babel, Patrick Kluivert, Andwélé Slory, and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Humphrey Mijnals, who not only played for Suriname but the Netherlands as well was named Surinamese footballer of the century in 1999. But all these owe it all to André Kamperveen, who was the first Surinamese to ever play in the Netherlands in the professional level.
Cricket is also very popular in the country mainly due to its popularity in the Netherlands and Guyana. Basketball, table tennis, volleyball, swimming, and taekwondo are also enjoying a certain amount of popularity in Suriname.
When it comes to the international stage, Suriname has had some success by producing many gifted athletes like Anthony Nesty, Suriname's first-ever Olympic medalist when he took the gold in the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea for the 100-meter butterfly. He also took the bronze at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. But the undisputed star of sports in Suriname is Letitia Vriesde who became the first-ever South American female athlete to win a medal in a World Championship competition when she took the silver in 1995.
Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Suriname. Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know.
Popular sports of Suriname
- Football (Soccer), cricket, basketball, table tennis, volleyball, swimming, and taekwondo
Suriname Sporting Success
Great athletes from Suriname
- Letitia Vriesde (track and field)
- Humphrey Mijnals (football)
- Anthony Nesty (swimming)
Suriname Sports trivia
- Wim Esajas was to be Suriname first Olympic athlete. He took part in the Opening Ceremony at the 1960 Games, but unfortunately he did not compete due to a scheduling error. Suriname athletes did not compete until 1968.
- Suriname's first-ever Olympic medalist was swimmer Anthony Nesty when he won gold in Seoul 1988.
- Letitia Vriesde is the first sportsperson from Suriname to compete at five Olympic Games.
Suriname at major events
Past sporting events hosted in Suriname
Upcoming sporting events in Suriname
Annual sporting events held in Suriname
Sporting Facilities in Suriname
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