NIJHUIS Thijs

Denmark

Athletics

Date of Birth: 20 Sep 1992

Age: 28

Gender: Male

Birth Country:

Netherlands

Place of residence : AARHUS

Residence Country:

Denmark

Events and Medals
Records
Schedule
Bio
General Interest
Milestones

Events and Medals

Discipline	Event	Rank	Medal
Athletics	Men's Marathon	70

Schedule

Change

Start Time	Location	Event	Status
	Sapporo Odori Park	Men's Marathon Final	Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

Athlete:

World Athletics Championships

Year	Location	Marathon
2019	Doha, QAT	31st (2:18:10)

World Cross Country Championships

Rank	Event	Year	Location	Result
15	Team Cross Country Long Distance	2019	Aarhus, DEN	336
116	Individual Cross Country Long Distance	2019	Aarhus, DEN	36:53

World Half Marathon Championships

Rank	Event	Year	Location	Result
17	Half Marathon Team	2020	Gdynia, POL	3:12.26
87	Half Marathon	2020	Gdynia, POL	1:04:10

Legend
SF - Semifinal, QF - Quarterfinal, 1R - 1st Round, Qual. - Qualification, QR - Qualification Round, DNF - Did Not Finish, DNS - Did Not Start, DQ - Disqualified, NM - No Mark, [Relay athlete without time] - Did not run in final

Occupation:

Athlete, Student

Education:

Medicine - Aarhus University, Denmark

Family:

Partner Julie Froslev Mathisen

Languages spoken:

Danish, English

Club name:

Viborg Atletikklub [Denmark]

Coach:

Niels Kim Hjorth, DEN

Sporting relatives:

His partner Julie Froslev Mathisen has represented Norway in athletics and competed in the 800m at the 2015 U23 European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2020; viborg-folkeblad.dk, 21 Feb 2020)

Injuries:

In 2016 and 2017 he suffered from groin injuries, which affected his performances. In late 2018 he said he had fully recovered from the injury. (danishendurance.com, 01 Nov 2018)

Start:

He began running at age 12 on his family's farm in Viborg, Denmark. At age 13 he joined his local athletics club, Skive Atletikklub. (tvmidtvest.dk, 30 Oct 2019; danishendurance.com, 01 Nov 2018)

Reason:

"Like most Danish boys, I played football from a young age. But I quickly found out that my talent was not to run after the ball but to run on the warm-up track. Therefore, I decided to focus on running. I was also living on a farm where my mum used to send me to the neighbour and back again. Here I found out that I was quite fast running back and forth, so my mum sometimes just sent me back again! When I was 13, I joined Skive Atletikklub, where I stayed for six years and eventually moved to Viborg Atletikklub, and have been there ever since." (danishendurance.com, 01 Nov 2018)

Ambition:

To compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (dif.dk, 08 May 2020)

Training:

He usually has two running sessions per day. He covers 180-200 kilometres each week, averaging between 25 to 35 kilometres a day. (tvmidtvest.dk, 30 Oct 2019)

Philosophy:

"When I am running 180 to 200 kilometers per week, it definitely takes a lot of willpower and endurance. Not only day-to-day but also [in the] long term. When it gets tough it makes me persevere and makes me improve in the long term. Therefore, I run continuously, and I am good with planning my training, so I peak when I have to. With running as an endurance sport, you usually peak in your late twenties or beginning of your thirties. Therefore, I have a long-term mindset and also an endurance mindset. It is my goals that keep me running." (danishendurance.com, 01 Nov 2018)

General Interest

General
FROM TRACK TO MARATHON
He missed out on the qualification time for the 5000m at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and in 2018 he decided to switch focus from the track to marathon. "I tried to get to the Olympics in 2016 in the 5000m but I missed out by 18 seconds. It does not sound like much, but it is a lot over that distance. So I switched to marathon, and it has been a terrific career change. I exceeded all expectations with a time of 2:19:42 on my debut, and I became the Danish champion." Speaking in 2020, he said the decision to postpone the Olympic Games in Tokyo benefited him because it gave him an extra year to gain additional marathon experience. "I'm fine with the Olympic postponement, and I actually see it as an advantage for me. I am very new to marathons, so I only expect to get better." (dif.dk, 08 May 2020, tvmidtvest.dk, 30 Oct 2019)

BALANCING SPORT AND MEDICINE STUDIES
He began studying medicine at Aarhus University in Denmark in 2014 and was still completing his studies in 2020. Speaking in 2018, he said his studies were flexible enough to allow him to continue training and competing. "My studies are quite flexible, which means that I can join the most important lectures and study at home. Running is also an easy sport to combine with studying since I can just bring my running shoes and clothes to university. But it requires a lot of discipline and planning. When I am at the clinic, I start at 08:00, which means that I am waking up at 05:30 to go for a run. I also train when I get off work at the clinic at 16:00. I am very dedicated to both, my studies and my training, and I don't make compromises on either." (tvmidtvest.dk, 23 Feb 2020; danishendurance.com, 1 Nov 2018)

NETHERLANDS TO DENMARK
He was born in The Netherlands but moved to Denmark with his parents as a baby. He received Danish citizenship in 2008. (bt.dk, 27 Feb 2020)

STUDYING ABROAD
In 2011/12 and 2012/13 he studied mathematics at Eastern Kentucky University in the United States of America, where he was a member of the university's athletics and cross-country teams. (ekusports.com, 13 May 2019)

Social Media

Legend

:: Gold Medal Event
:: Silver Medal Event
:: Bronze Medal Event

Timing and scoring provided by OMEGA. Results powered by Atos