Dean van Kooij
Dutch para-snowboarder (born 2002)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dean van Kooij (born 19 December 2002) is a Dutch para-snowboarder. He represented the Netherlands at the 2026 Winter Paralympics.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 December 2002 Nijmegen, Netherlands |
| Sport | |
| Country |  Netherlands |
| Sport | Para-snowboarding |
| Disability class | SB-UL |
Event(s) | Snowboard cross, Banked slalom |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Paralympic finals | Milan-Cortina 2026 |
Biography
Early life
Van Kooij was born in Nijmegen, Netherlands.[1] In 2017 he moved with his family to Pichilemu in Chile, where he spent two years surfing and skateboarding while following online education from the Netherlands.[2][3]
In 2019, shortly after returning to the Netherlands, he was hit by a car while cycling near his home. The accident caused severe injuries and left his left arm paralysed after several nerves in his neck were damaged.[2][4]
After weeks in hospital and a long rehabilitation period, Van Kooij looked for a new sport. During a Paralympic talent day at the National Sports Centre Papendal he discovered para-snowboarding, a sport that suited him because of his background in surfing and other board sports.[5][3][4]
Career
Van Kooij began competing in para-snowboarding in 2021 and quickly showed potential, winning his first competition shortly after starting the sport.[5]
He later began competing internationally in snowboard cross and banked slalom events in the SB-UL classification. At the 2023 World Championships in La Molina, Spain, he finished sixth in the dual banked slalom and tenth in snowboard cross.[1]
Van Kooij qualified for the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. At his Paralympic debut he finished fifth in the men's snowboard cross SB-UL event and eighth in the banked slalom event.[1][6]
Results
Paralympic Games
| Year | Venue | Results |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 |  Italy Cortina d'Ampezzo | 5th Snowboard cross SB-UL 8th Banked slalom SB-UL |
World Championships
| Year | Venue | Results |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 |  Norway Lillehammer | 11th Banked slalom SB-UL |
| 2023 |  Spain La Molina | 6th Dual banked slalom SB-UL 10th Snowboard cross SB-UL |
| 2025 |  Canada Big White | 11th Banked slalom SB-UL 12th Snowboard cross SB-UL |
