Jaap van der Poll

Who was Jaap van der Poll?

Jaap van der Poll was a Dutch javelin thrower.

Van der Poll competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics. He threw in the first round, but had to withdraw due to kidney stones. He commented on his Olympic appearance saying "I felt flattered that I was allowed into the Olympic Games. I was in my eyes only just started with that sport. My friends also said: Go! I made a sporting choice. When I returned I was again welcome to my Jewish friends. That was a comfort to me". After the games Van der Poll left to work in the Dutch West Indies and was later held as a Prisoner of War in Japan. He died on February 1, 2010.