Sports Coordinator and Dutch triathlon champion Dirk Wijnalda

How does your work help to shape the world of tomorrow?

As sports coordinator at Olympos, I’m responsible for the fitness centre and the climbing wall, amongst other matters. Our goal is to get more students and employees participating in sport and exercise in order to boost their health and vitality. Move your body, stretch your mind! My work gives everyone at Utrecht Science Park easy access to sport and exercise. Olympos is affordable, nearby and offers the widest range of sports in the entire province of Utrecht. The more accessible we make sport, the easier it is to fit into your everyday life. Physical exercise promotes mental relaxation. At this campus, everyone uses their brain while studying or working. I hope to contribute to the world of tomorrow by using sport to help these brains come up with new ideas.

What does your work contribute to society? How does it impact me?

When people are healthy and vital, they are also happier, more sociable, more accessible and perform better. A healthier population also costs society less money. I notice that people want to improve their lifestyles, for example by improving their nutrition or losing weight. People are increasingly looking to the future and setting longer-term goals. Here at Utrecht Science Park, this development is particularly noticeable as the demand for advice is increasing and the range of requested advice goes much further than just exercise alone. People are increasingly interested in why they should exercise in a certain way, so we are now increasingly providing lifestyle advice. For technical exercises, the demand is no longer exclusively focused on achieving physical goals – the mental side is also addressed, e.g. ‘what sport would suit me best if I wanted to get the most out of myself mentally?’ My experience as Dutch triathlon champion also helps me to give advice.

What is your dream? What do you want to achieve in the next 5–10 years?

My personal dream is to set up a youth triathlon department to help get the new generation involved in this multifaceted sport from an early age.

It would be great for Olympos if in ten years, we could have a larger fitness centre with more options, and more flexible options for exercise. A natural pool for swimming and a rowing course would also be welcome additions. I also hope that in ten years’ time we have at least as many HU students participating in sport as we have UU students today. And if more employees from the knowledge institutions and companies at Utrecht Science Park would come and exercise, then in addition to improving their health it would also be a great place for people to meet, make connections and network!

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