Stephan Alexander Freitas Steverink is 15 and has a choice ahead of him: his mother is Brazilian, his father Dutch. Will it be the maternal flag of ‘Ordem e Progresso’ or the paternal flag of Orange order?
Born in 2004, young Steverink is among the best swiftest 1,500m freestyle swimmers in the world last year when he wiped 20sec off the national 30-lap record with a 15:26.77. Watch for him knocking spots off that and other bests times, including cracking 4:20 in the 400IM as the season progresses.
That 15:26 made him Brazilian No4 (and just inside the best 90 in the world last year), all ages, adrift Guilherme da Costa (14:55.49); Diogo Villarinho (15:06.80) and Miguel Valente (15:12.61).
Stephan Steverink – Photo Courtesy: TV Brasil YouTube
Steverink, the son of Dr. Gisélia Freitas and businessman Sander Steverink, was 14 when he took out Brandonn Almeida‘s national 400IM youth record of 4:36.03 with a 4:34.18 at 2018 national summer youth championships. Since then he’s got past the best youth times of Almeida in other events as well as the best junior efforts of two other Olympic swimmers for Brazil who were outstanding in their teenage years, Lucas Salatta and London 2012 400m medley podium placer Thiago Pereira.
Steverink has raced for Brazil as a junior – and set meet records in The Netherlands, one of them an 800 m free efforts that was 21 seconds swifter than a certain Pieter Van Den Hoogenband at the same age (NB: which means … not much, each swimmer growing and developing at their own rate and pace, some earlier, some later).
Double Dutch-Brazilian Vision – Keeping His Options Open
Dual nationality has sparked “decision-time” speculation in Brazilian reports but the young swimmer answers pragmatically: “They (The Netherlands) have a better support system and training infrastructure over there but for me, I’ll be here until I’m at least 18.”
Some of Stephan Steverink’s many medals – Photo Courtesy: TV Brasil YouTube
In a country where the Bolsonaro Government has just cut funding to athletes based in the military by 94 per cent, a Plan B is always wise, though the magnet of his mother’s land is strong in Steverink. He tells Estado de Minas:
“I raced in Holland to gain experience … the feeling is that I’ll be staying with Brazil. That’s what my mother wants. I’d like to finish my [schooling] here in Brazil. If something crops up, we’ll think about it. I’m 75% Brazilian.”
All said with a smile by a boy who can say “good morning, good afternoon and some swear words” in Dutch but not much else. He had two other amusing reasons to reach for his Brazilian not Dutch roots:
“I don’t know how to sing in Dutch but I can do that in Brazilian [Portuguese].”
Stephan Steverink and coach Eric Sona on a trophy hunt in Minas Gerais – Photo Courtesy: Stephan Steverink Facebook
and this from a swimmer with a Facebook page noting his mantra ‘Your worst enemy is your FEAR’:
“It’s pretty cold over there.”
In the video below, he reflects on his love for what he does:
“I started swimming at three and I loved to train and always wanted to train more. It’s a sport that makes me happy.”
Coach Sona On Steverink’s Steady Gains – No Tokyo Fast-Track
Coach Eric Sona – Photo Courtesy: TYV Brasil YouTube
Steverink is coached by Eric Sona, a swimmer himself. Says Sona of his charge:
“He always gets to training early. He’s not in a rush to get away. He never complains in training. He’s a very dedicated athlete.”
One that needs no rushing, says Sona when the 15mins-flat Olympic qualifier:
“I question whether it would be right to fast-track him to get the Tokyo cut. The trials are three months away. He’s had a holiday, which was justified after the year he just had. The big names [of Brazilian swimming] haven’t had a break. I’d worry about turning the heat up on him so soon.”
Hence their focus on Paris 2024 as the Olympic goal they have in mind. Trials this year will simply be the next step in Steverink’s development, says Sona.
“He has realistic chances of making a final – and that would be an achievement. Today, he’s in the top 3 ranked over 400m medley. We have a goal for Paris 2024. With the adult mind he already has, he’ll also have a mature body [by then] and he’ll be prepared for it.”
Described as “a smiler, joker”, Steverink lies to hang out with friends on weekends and is a fan of games such as CSGO, Battlefield 5, Fortnite and Killing Floor 2. Action-pumped. He likes parties, too, but the last line in a feature on his progress at the Estado de Minas sums up his priorities … “… but he always leaves early – there’s training the next day.”