Frits Evert Eijken (30 June 1893 – 6 June 1978) was a Dutch

rower Rowing, sometimes called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars are attached to the boat using oarlocks, while paddles are not connected to the boat. Rowing is ...

. He competed at the

1920 Summer Olympics The 1920 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1920; nl, Olympische Zomerspelen van 1920; german: Olympische Sommerspiele 1920), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIe olympiade; nl, Spelen van ...

in the

single scull A single scull (or a scull) is a rowing boat designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand. Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to minimi ...

s, but failed to reach the final. In 1921, Eijken won the

Diamond Challenge Sculls The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. First run in 1844, it is open to male scullers from all eligible rowing clubs.

Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It differs from the thre ...

beating

Jack Beresford Jack Beresford, CBE (1 January 1899 – 3 December 1977), born Jack Beresford-Wiszniewski, was a British rower who won five medals at five Olympic Games in succession. This record in Olympic rowing was not matched until 2000 when Sir Steve Red ...

in the final. Following Eijken's victory, Janus Ooms passed on to him the "Golden Belt" he was awarded in 1892. Eijken, in turn, passed it on to the next Dutch Diamonds winner Bert Gunther in 1929.. nlroei.nl. 9 January 2006

References

1893 births 1978 deaths Dutch male rowers Olympic rowers for the Netherlands Rowers at the 1920 Summer Olympics Delft University of Technology alumni People from Batavia, Dutch East Indies European Rowing Championships medalists {{Netherlands-rowing-bio-stub