Ria Visser

A talented junior, Ria Visser debuted internationally as a 17-year-old. She finished 6th in the World Allround Championships, after being runner-up at the Dutch nationals. Barely considered an outsider for a medal, she briefly lead the 1500 m at the 1980 Olympics, only to be surpassed by her equally surprising compatriot Annie Borckink. Although Visser won five Dutch allround titles over the next years, she could not quite match the international level, although she did place fourth in the 1985 European Championships. After suffering from injuries in the 1987 season, she tried to make the Calgary Olympics to close out her career, but failed to qualify. After her skating career, Ria Visser became a skating commentator and, later, analyst for Dutch television. She has also published a children's book, and presented a game show on television.

Personal Bests: 500 – 42.23 (1984); 1000 – 1:25.76 (1982); 1500 – 2:07.06 (1984); 3000 – 4:29.13 (1985); 5000 – 7:40.68 (1988).