Temple University Athletics
Photo courtesy Harvard Athletics
Olympic Champion Michiel Bartman Named Rowing Assistant Coach
7.25.19 | Women's Rowing
PHILADELPHIA -- Temple women's rowing head coach Rebecca Grzybowski has announced the hiring of Olympic champion and three-time Olympic medalist, Michiel Bartman. The 15-year coaching veteran will join the Owls' staff as an assistant coach beginning in August.
"I am thrilled to welcome Michiel to North Broad Street and to the Temple coaching staff," said Grzybowski. "Michiel and I have a long history of working together to achieve rowing success. I know first-hand the depth of his knowledge, his passion for racing, and also how much he genuinely cares about his athletes as he pushes them to new heights. I am excited to start working together again on a new goal of crafting the fastest Temple Rowing team in history, and one that that consistently competes at the highest levels."
Bartman spent his first six years in the United States as the head coach at Vesper Boat Club, continued to coach at Harvard University as the head coach for the men and women lightweight programs for five years and the past three years he served as the director of rowing and head coach for Port Rowing, a community rowing club in Port Washington, NY. In those years his rowers won National and Eastern Sprints Championships, medals at IRA's, World Championships and Olympic Games.
"I am very excited and thankful to get the opportunity to start coaching at Temple University, and it is also great to be back in Philadelphia," noted Bartman. "I am looking forward to joining a program that is making great strides under the leadership of Coach Grzybowski. During my interviews I was really impressed with the athletic department, but maybe even more with the rowers I had the opportunity to talk to. Their ambition and goals were contagious and it will be great to assist the team to get them there by sharing my knowledge. The current coaching staff is really committed to raising the level of the team and that challenge is music to my ears."
A native of the Netherlands, Bartman coached many Dutch national crews during his outstanding competitive career as a rower. A 12-time national team member for the Netherlands, Bartman transitioned to full-time coaching in 2005 following a rowing career that featured three Olympic medals, three world championships medals and 13 World Cup medals.
With his boatmates in the Dutch men's eight, Bartman reached the pinnacle of competitive rowing by winning a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. The gold came after setting a world record and several course records during an undefeated 1996 season. He later won silver in the quad in 2000 in Sydney and in the eight in 2004 in Athens.
Bartman was a part of two Henley Royal Regatta championships. He raced in the eight that won the Grand Challenge Cup in 2004, and in the quad that won the Queen Mother Cup in 2000. The Grand Challenge win was the first by a Dutch crew in Henley's signature event.
A graduate of the College of Economic Studies, Amsterdam, Bartman earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1992.
Bartman also served as chairman of the Dutch National Olympic Committee Athletes Commission from 2002-04. He has received great recognition in his native country for his accomplishments. He was named Amsterdam's Male Sports Personality of the Year, along with teammate Diederik Simon, in 2004 and was part of the city's Team of the Year in 1996 and 2004.
"I am thrilled to welcome Michiel to North Broad Street and to the Temple coaching staff," said Grzybowski. "Michiel and I have a long history of working together to achieve rowing success. I know first-hand the depth of his knowledge, his passion for racing, and also how much he genuinely cares about his athletes as he pushes them to new heights. I am excited to start working together again on a new goal of crafting the fastest Temple Rowing team in history, and one that that consistently competes at the highest levels."
Bartman spent his first six years in the United States as the head coach at Vesper Boat Club, continued to coach at Harvard University as the head coach for the men and women lightweight programs for five years and the past three years he served as the director of rowing and head coach for Port Rowing, a community rowing club in Port Washington, NY. In those years his rowers won National and Eastern Sprints Championships, medals at IRA's, World Championships and Olympic Games.
"I am very excited and thankful to get the opportunity to start coaching at Temple University, and it is also great to be back in Philadelphia," noted Bartman. "I am looking forward to joining a program that is making great strides under the leadership of Coach Grzybowski. During my interviews I was really impressed with the athletic department, but maybe even more with the rowers I had the opportunity to talk to. Their ambition and goals were contagious and it will be great to assist the team to get them there by sharing my knowledge. The current coaching staff is really committed to raising the level of the team and that challenge is music to my ears."
A native of the Netherlands, Bartman coached many Dutch national crews during his outstanding competitive career as a rower. A 12-time national team member for the Netherlands, Bartman transitioned to full-time coaching in 2005 following a rowing career that featured three Olympic medals, three world championships medals and 13 World Cup medals.
With his boatmates in the Dutch men's eight, Bartman reached the pinnacle of competitive rowing by winning a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. The gold came after setting a world record and several course records during an undefeated 1996 season. He later won silver in the quad in 2000 in Sydney and in the eight in 2004 in Athens.
Bartman was a part of two Henley Royal Regatta championships. He raced in the eight that won the Grand Challenge Cup in 2004, and in the quad that won the Queen Mother Cup in 2000. The Grand Challenge win was the first by a Dutch crew in Henley's signature event.
A graduate of the College of Economic Studies, Amsterdam, Bartman earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1992.
Bartman also served as chairman of the Dutch National Olympic Committee Athletes Commission from 2002-04. He has received great recognition in his native country for his accomplishments. He was named Amsterdam's Male Sports Personality of the Year, along with teammate Diederik Simon, in 2004 and was part of the city's Team of the Year in 1996 and 2004.
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