Willem Tholen

{{Short description|Dutch weightlifter (1900–1984)}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Willem Tholen

| image =

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| fullname = Wilhelmus "Willem" Tholen

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| birth_date = {{birth date|1900|5|28|df=y}}

| birth_place = Haarlem, the Netherlands

| death_date = {{death date and age|1984|3|21|1900|5|28|df=y}}

| death_place = Haarlem the Netherlands

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| country = Netherlands

| sport = Weightlifting

| weight_class = Light-Heavyweight

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| club = Krachtsportvereniging Haarlem

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Wilhelmus "Willem" Tholen (28 May 1900 – 21 March 1984) was a Dutch male weightlifter, who competed in the Light-Heavyweight category and represented the Netherlands at the Olympic Games.

Tholen won the national competition in October 1926 in Haarlem, ahead of W. v/d Heide from The Hague.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010659790:mpeg21:a0296|title=Gevonden in Delpher - Algemeen Handelsblad|website=www.delpher.nl}} Later that month, also at the national competition in Haarlem, he lost of J. Verheien from The Hague.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010010573:mpeg21:a0073|title=Gevonden in Delpher - Het Vaderland : staat- en letterkundig nieuwsblad|website=www.delpher.nl}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010659804:mpeg21:a0182|title=Gevonden in Delpher - Algemeen Handelsblad|website=www.delpher.nl}} At the national weightlifting championships in June 1927, he won the silver medal, again behind J. Verheien.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010658225:mpeg21:a0329|title=Gevonden in Delpher - Algemeen Handelsblad|website=www.delpher.nl}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=MMRANM02:000029213:mpeg21:a0018|title=Gevonden in Delpher - Provinciale Geldersche en Nijmeegsche courant|website=www.delpher.nl}} Two months later, in August 1927, Tholen was officially selected by the national federation to represent the Netherlands at the 1928 Summer Olympics.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=MMKB08:000106617:mpeg21:a0013|title=Gevonden in Delpher - Arnhemsche courant|website=www.delpher.nl}} From October 1927 the Olympic team, including Tholen, trained one evening every other week at De Jonge Bokser in Amsterdam, supervised by A. de Jong.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010002369:mpeg21:a0085|title=Gevonden in Delpher - Het Centrum|website=www.delpher.nl}} Tholen did some competitions as preparation for the Olympic Games, including on 15 January and 24 January 1928 in Haarlem.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:011114490:mpeg21:a0104|title=Gevonden in Delpher - Het volk : dagblad voor de arbeiderspartij|website=www.delpher.nl}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:110566018:mpeg21:a0294|title=Gevonden in Delpher - De Telegraaf|website=www.delpher.nl}} And during competitions and demonstrations of the Olympic team in April 1928 in Amsterdam.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=MMKB04:000196462:mpeg21:p011|title=Gevonden in Delpher - De Maasbode|website=www.delpher.nl}} At the 1928 Summer Olympics he finished 12th.{{cite web|title=Profile of Willem Tholen|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/th/willem-tholen-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417184045/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/th/willem-tholen-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|work=Sports Reference|accessdate=9 December 2016}}