Pierre van der Westhuyzen

{{Short description|South African/Australian canoeist (born 2003)}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name =

| image =

| nationality = South African/Australian

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2003|8|18}}{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/pierre-van-der-westhuyzen_1940221 |title=Pierre van der Westhuyzen |website=olympics.com |access-date=August 8, 2024}}

| birth_place = Bellville, South Africa

| hometown = Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

| height =

| weight =

| country = Australia

| sport = Sprint kayak

| club =

| event = K-4 500 m

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{AUS}}}}

}}

Pierre van der Westhuyzen (born August 18, 2003) is a South African canoeist. He represented Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Early life

Van der Westhuyzen was born in Bellville, South Africa, and grew up in Cape Town. He and his brother, Jean, began canoeing while attending Michaelhouse in KwaZulu-Natal.{{cite web|url=https://bond.edu.au/sport/sport-news/news/brotherly-bond-drives-olympic-selection |title=Brotherly Bond drives Olympic selection |website=bond.edu.au |date=March 13, 2024 |access-date=August 8, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/pierre-van-der-westhuyzen/ |title=Pierre van der Westhuyzen |website=olympics.com.au |access-date=August 8, 2024}}

Career

He competed at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in the K-4 500 metres event and finished in fourth place with a time of 1:19.905. As a result, they qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/news/icf-canoe-sprint-world-championships-germnay-win-k4-500m-crown-86-quota-spots-awarded |title=ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships: Germany regains men's K-4 500m crown as 86 athletes secure Paris 2024 quotas for their federations |website=olympics.com |first=Lena |last=Smirnova |date=August 25, 2023 |access-date=August 8, 2024}} At the Olympics he competed in the K-4 500 metres event and won a silver medal.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-08/paris-olympic-games-australia-silver-kayak-four-sprint/104197918 |title=SportParis Olympics: Australia win silver medal in men's kayak four 500m sprint |website=abc.net.au |date=August 8, 2024 |access-date=August 8, 2024}} Following a photo finish, they missed winning the gold medal by 0.04 seconds.{{cite web|url=https://www.nine.com.au/sport/olympics/paris-2024-womens-mens-kayak-fours-final-results-canoe-sprint-australia-men-silver-20240808-p5k0we.html |title=Aussie men's four denied gold by millimetres after agonising wait for photo |website=nine.com |first=Daniel |last=Jeffrey |date=August 8, 2024 |access-date=August 8, 2024}}

References

External links

{{Sports links}}

Category:2003 births

Category:Living people

Category:Australian male canoeists

Category:Canoeists at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic canoeists for Australia

Category:Olympic silver medalists for Australia

Category:Olympic medalists in canoeing

Category:Canoeists at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics

Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen