Wilbert Pennings

Who is Wilbert Pennings?

Wilbert Bernard Roger Pennings is a Dutch high jumper. He is a thirteen-time Dutch champion and holds the national indoor and outdoor records.

Pennings became Dutch high jump champion for the first time in 1995, jumping over 2.17 metres. In 1999 he improved the Dutch national record to 2.30 and finished tenth at the 1999 World Championships. In 2000 he represented The Netherlands in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he did not qualify for the final, jumping over 2.20.

In February 2002 in Siegen, Germany, Wilbert Pennings improved the Dutch national indoor record to 2.31 and became seventh at the 2002 European Indoor Championships, one month later. During the outdoor season he finished thirteenth at the 2002 European Championships.

Due to injuries he was unable to compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics, but finished twelfth at the 2006 European Championships.

Pennings, who is an aerospace engineering graduate, works for the Royal Dutch Air force and is a member of the Dutch defense top-sport program.