About Margriet de Schutter

Ever since Margriet de Schutter (1986) was a little girl, she has had a dream of becoming a short track speed skater and going to the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

The heavy training and international shorttrack games had brought her success - she became a seven-time Dutch relay champion and was leading in the Individual Event - but also caused more and more injuries, so that she eventually couldn't participate in the Olympics. After being an elite athlete for 9 years, Margriet de Schutter decided to end her career as a short track speed skater after the Olympic Games in 2010. To avoid a black hole, she picked up the final year of her study in International Communications and decided to follow the specialization 'Media Studies' at Hanze University. She soon discovered her love for making documentaries and decided to graduate on this field.

From the moment she quit her career in elite sports, Margriet experienced that there was a lot to be gained for the aftercare of former elite athletes. which brought her to the idea of making a documentary about it. In November 2010 she won the Scenario award at the Dutch Northern Film Festival, for writing the scenario for this idea, with the assistance of documentary filmmaker Thom Verheul. The jury just had one condition: the documentary had to be about herself. As the winner of the scenario award, she had the opportunity to produce the documentray 'Diepgaan voor Vancouver' (Going deep for Vancouver) in collaboration with a professional production team from Friesland broadcoasting (including Thom Verheul as a supervisor and editor and camera operator Ismael Lotz) to be broadcasted at Dutch TV channel 'Netherland 2', in broadcasting time of 'Friesland DOK' and Friesland Broadcasting.

In 2012 she founded her own company 'Crossover Media'. This gave her the opportunity to create the supporting website 'Extopsporter.nl', which allows Margriet to follow her personal passion for TV and do a deep dive into the material. Her motto: daring to show your vulnerabillty makes you extremeply powerful!

In 2012, following the documentary and the website, Promotheus publishers approached her to write a book, which result, 'Stoppen & Doorgaan' (Quitting & Continuing), was released in March 2013.

Besides that Margriet is still closely involved in speed skating, she provides media and journalistic services an works as a fashion model

Through her powerful story and daring vulnerability, Margriet knows how to touch her audience. She shows how you can be successful despite setbacks and, with the right focus and a good dose of willpower, can get the best out of yourself or your company or organization.

Margriet is available as a sports, personal development, inspirational and motivational speaker, trainer and moderator. Furthermore she is available as a guest lecturer in secondary (voacational) education ,and as a college or university guest lecturer Anne Marie Westra-Nijhuis arranges all requests from beginning to end, which also means that from the moment of your request, she will be continuously and closely involved.

Below you can watch the award-winning documentary by Margriet / Diepgaan voor Vancouver' (Going deep for Vancouver).

Below you can watch a video of Margriet speaking at TED xGroningen.

Margriet de Schutter is available as a sports, personal development, inspirational and motivational speaker, trainer, moderator and lecturer. Please contact Anne Marie Westra to inquire about further possibilities, by email - annemariewestra@e-plu.nl, or telephone +31- 534347567.