View source for Gerda Kraan

{{short description|Dutch middle-distance runner}}
{{distinguish|Greetje Kraan}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name           = 
| image          =Gerda Kraan 1961.jpg
| image_size     = 
| caption        =Gerda Kraan in 1961
| birth_name     = 
| fullname       = 
| nationality    = 
| residence      = 
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|df=y|1933|07|30}}
| birth_place    = [[Leiden]], Netherlands
| death_date     = 
| death_place    =
| height = {{convert|1.73|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|65|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| country        = 
| sport          = Running
| club           = De Bataven, Leiden
| retired        = 
| olympics       = 
| highestranking = 
| pb             = 
| show-medals    = yes
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalCountry | {{NED}} }}
{{MedalEuropeanChampionships}}
{{MedalGold| [[1962 European Championships in Athletics|Belgrade 1962]] | 800 metres}}
}}

'''Gerarda''' "'''Gerda'''" '''Maria Kraan''' ({{IPA|nl|ɣeːˈrɑrdaː ˈɣɛrdaː maːˈrijaː ˈkraːn|lang}}; born 30 July 1933) is a retired female [[middle-distance running|middle distance]] [[Running|runner]] from the [[Netherlands]], who twice represented her native country at the [[Summer Olympics]]: [[Athletics at the 1960 Summer Olympics|1960]] (Rome) and [[Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics|1964]] (Tokyo).<ref name=r1/>  In 1962 she won the [[gold medal]] in the women's [[800 metres]] race at the [[1962 European Championships in Athletics|1962 European Championships]] in [[Belgrade]].

Kraan is the oldest sibling in a family of 14 children. Initially she trained in handball, while working as a police officer, and changed to athletics only in 1954, aged 21. At her first major race in 1958 she improved the Dutch record in the 800 m to 2,16.6. She shaved another 8 seconds from it the next year,<ref name=r1/> and in 1960 qualified for the Olympics, where she was eliminated in a preliminary round.<ref name=r3/> After that she worked hard to improve her running technique and fitness, winning five national titles and setting nine national 800 m records between 1958 and 1963. During that period she also competed in 400 m, 440 yd and 880 yd races. In 1962 she won the 800 m European title with a new European record of 2,02.8.<ref name=r2/> At the next Olympics in 1964 she finished in seventh place in the final of the 800 m.<ref name=r1/>

==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=r1>de Graaf, Ben (1999) "Gerda Kraan" in ''De Top 500, De beste Nederlandse sporters van de eeuw'', Premium Press BV Publishers, {{ISBN|9076574049}}</ref>
<ref name=r2>Hemert, W. van (1998) ''Snelheid, moed en intelligentie: basisvoorwaarden voor de 800 meter'' Atletiek nr. 2: KNAU</ref>
<ref name=r3>[https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/kr/gerda-kraan-1.html Gerda Kraan] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193651/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/kr/gerda-kraan-1.html |date=October 29, 2013 }}. sports-reference.com</ref>
}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-ach|aw}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Dini Hobers]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[KNAU Cup]]|years=1959<br>1961, 1962|rows=2}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Joke Bijleveld]]}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Joke Bijleveld]]}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Lia Hinten]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Footer European Champions 800 m Women}}
{{Japan Championships in Athletics women's 400 metres champions}}
{{Japan Championships in Athletics women's 800 metres champions}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kraan, Gerda}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Dutch female middle-distance runners]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:European Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Leiden]]
[[Category:Athletes from South Holland]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch women]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch women]]


{{Netherlands-athletics-bio-stub}}