Edsard Schlingemann was a Dutch swimmer whose life and career were cut tragically short. Born in Zambia to Dutch parents, he grew into one of the Netherlands’ most promising freestyle and medley swimmers of the 1980s, representing his country at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 while still a teenager and winning a European Championship medal the following year. On May 8, 1990, aged just 23, he was killed in a car crash on his way to training — a loss that stunned Dutch swimming and robbed the sport of an athlete who had barely begun to show what he could do.
This Edsard Schlingemann biography brings together the verified facts of his short life: his birth and background, his height and swimming profile, his Olympic and championship career, and answers to the questions people still ask about him more than three decades on.
Edsard Schlingemann Wiki and Biography
Edsard Frederik Schlingemann was born on September 6, 1966, in Kitwe, Zambia, where his family was living at the time. He grew up in the Netherlands and swam for AZ&PC in Amersfoort, developing into a versatile competitor across freestyle and individual medley events. By his mid-teens he was already racing at senior international level, and his selection for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, at the age of seventeen, marked him out as one of the brightest young talents in Dutch swimming.
| Edsard Schlingemann Wiki and Biography | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Edsard Frederik Schlingemann |
| Date of Birth | September 6, 1966 |
| Birthplace | Kitwe, Zambia |
| Date of Death | May 8, 1990 (aged 23) |
| Place of Death | Epe, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Ethnicity | Dutch |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Profession | Competitive Swimmer |
| Strokes | Freestyle, Individual Medley |
| Club | AZ&PC, Amersfoort |
| Years Active | 1982–1990 |
| Relationship Status | No public records |
Edsard Schlingemann Height, Weight and Body Stats
At 1.87 metres and 80 kilograms, Schlingemann had the long, lean build of a freestyle specialist — the kind of frame that coaches prize for its reach in the water and its efficiency over middle distances. His physique suited both the sprint freestyle events and the 200 metres individual medley, where versatility across all four strokes mattered as much as raw speed.
| Edsard Schlingemann Height, Weight and More | Details |
|---|---|
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) |
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) |
| Body Measurements | Not publicly disclosed |
| Eye Color | Not publicly disclosed |
| Hair Color | Not publicly disclosed |
| Shoe Size | Not publicly disclosed |
| Build | Tall, lean, athletic swimmer’s build |
| Distinctive Features | Versatility across freestyle and medley events |
Edsard Schlingemann Career
Schlingemann’s international career began early. He represented the Netherlands at the World Championships of 1982 in Guayaquil while still fifteen, swimming the 200 metres backstroke, and returned to the world stage at Madrid in 1986, where he recorded 1:52.71 in the 200 metres freestyle and contested the 100 metres backstroke and the medley relay. Between those appearances came the highlight of his young career: selection for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
At Los Angeles, aged seventeen, Schlingemann swam in five events. His best result came in the men’s 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay, where the Dutch team finished seventh. He also contested the 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay, the 100 metres freestyle (in which he recorded 51.33 seconds), the 50 metres butterfly and the 200 metres individual medley (2:08.27), but did not reach the finals in those events. At the European Championships he raced in 1983 and again in 1985 at Sofia, where he was part of the Dutch 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay squad that earned a championship medal — the finest team result of his career.
He was still training and competing at the highest domestic level in the spring of 1990 when his life was cut short. On May 8, 1990, Schlingemann died in a car crash on his way to training in Epe, in the Netherlands. He was 23 years old.
| Edsard Schlingemann Career Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Profession | Competitive Swimmer |
| Career Started | International debut at the 1982 World Championships |
| Club | AZ&PC, Amersfoort |
| Strokes | Freestyle, Individual Medley (also backstroke and butterfly) |
| Olympics | Los Angeles 1984 — 7th in 4 × 200 m freestyle relay |
| World Championships | 1982 Guayaquil, 1986 Madrid |
| European Championships | 1983, 1985 Sofia (medal, 4 × 200 m freestyle relay) |
| Personal Best Times (recorded) | 100 m freestyle 51.33 (1984); 200 m freestyle 1:52.71 (1986); 200 m medley 2:08.27 (1984) |
| Known For | 1984 Olympian at 17, European relay medallist, career cut short by fatal car crash |
Edsard Schlingemann Net Worth
Schlingemann competed in an era when Olympic swimmers outside the sport’s biggest stars earned little from their sport, and he died at twenty-three before any professional or commercial career could develop. No reliable source reports a net worth for him, and any figure attached to his name online is speculation. His legacy is measured in races swum and a national team career that promised far more than it was allowed to deliver.
| Edsard Schlingemann Net Worth Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Estimated Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed |
| Main Income Sources | Amateur competitive swimming (no professional earnings recorded) |
| Endorsements | None publicly known |
10 Interesting Facts About Edsard Schlingemann
- Edsard Frederik Schlingemann was born on September 6, 1966, in Kitwe, Zambia, making him a Virgo.
- Despite his Zambian birthplace, he represented the Netherlands internationally.
- He swam for AZ&PC, the Amersfoort swimming and polo club.
- He made his World Championship debut in 1982 at the age of fifteen.
- At seventeen he competed at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in five events.
- His best Olympic result was seventh place with the Dutch 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay team.
- He recorded 51.33 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle at the Los Angeles Games.
- At the 1985 European Championships in Sofia he earned a medal with the Dutch 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay squad.
- He stood 1.87 metres tall and weighed 80 kilograms — a classic freestyler’s build.
- He died on May 8, 1990, aged 23, in a car crash while travelling to training.
Conclusion
Edsard Schlingemann’s story is one of promise unfulfilled through no fault of his own. An Olympian at seventeen, a European medallist at eighteen, a World Championship competitor at fifteen and nineteen — the trajectory pointed only upward. His death on the road to training in May 1990 ended that trajectory in an instant, but it did not erase what he achieved. In Dutch swimming history, his name remains attached to a generation of talent that carried the Netherlands into the modern era of the sport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Edsard Schlingemann?
Edsard Schlingemann was a Dutch competitive swimmer who represented the Netherlands at the 1984 Olympic Games and won a European Championship relay medal in 1985.
When was Edsard Schlingemann born?
He was born on September 6, 1966, in Kitwe, Zambia.
How did Edsard Schlingemann die?
He died on May 8, 1990, aged 23, in a car crash on his way to training in Epe, Netherlands.
How tall was Edsard Schlingemann?
He was 1.87 metres (6 ft 2 in) tall and weighed 80 kilograms.
What strokes did Edsard Schlingemann swim?
His main strokes were freestyle and individual medley, though he also raced backstroke and butterfly.
What was Edsard Schlingemann’s best Olympic result?
Seventh place with the Dutch men’s 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay team at Los Angeles 1984.
Did Edsard Schlingemann win a European medal?
Yes, he was part of the Dutch 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay squad that medalled at the 1985 European Championships in Sofia.
Which club did Edsard Schlingemann swim for?
He swam for AZ&PC in Amersfoort, Netherlands.
What is Edsard Schlingemann’s net worth?
No reliable source reports a net worth for him; he competed as an amateur and died at 23.
Was Edsard Schlingemann married?
No public records of a relationship exist for him.
Last Updated: October 2026 | Fact-checked by the Xposed editorial team