Koen Steenblok

Koen started track and field at a very young age, while he was also playing soccer. At age 12 he joined his local club team AV'56 and Koen was doing multiple events during time. Moreover, he did specific running workouts, but also practiced other events. From the beginning, it was immediately clear that he had a talent for running and jumping and because of this he decided to compete in the 1000 meters, long jump, and high jump only. After a year, he began to specialize in these events and stopped with the other training sessions. In October 2021, he got a new running coach, who helped him make significant progress. He started to focus more on running, which led to him quitting the jump training in July 2022.

Notably, Koen is ranked 10th place U18 in the Netherlands with his 800m PB. His major strengths are his perseverance and focus. Due to his perseverance, he always aims to improve himself. When a training session or a competition doesn't go as planned, he always strives to come back stronger and better the next time. Focus is also a quality that suits him well. During a competition, he always keeps his goal in mind and does everything in his power to achieve it. He always gives it his all. He aims to become an athlete who can excel in multiple distances. Currently, he has a strong performance in the 800m and is looking to improve his times in the 400m and 1500m. Recently, he achieved the 6th position at the Dutch U18 National Championship in the 800m and currently holds the 10th spot in the Dutch U18 800m rankings 

His current PBs are- 800m 1:57,91 (2023)- 1500m 4:21,80 (2023)

In the United States, Koen aspires to maximize his potential as an athlete, striving for excellence within his college track and field team. In addition, he is determined to break the 1:50.00 mark in the 800m and compete for medals at the Dutch Senior National Championships. 

He is currently enrolled in the highest level of high school in the Netherlands and is expected to graduate in the Spring of 2024. Koen is interested in doing a major in economics. For more information about his academics, please check out the details section down below.