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Robert Johannes SINDORF

  • Writer: I
    I
  • Apr 11, 2024
  • 10 min read

Updated: Nov 27


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  HANNOVER  -


Robert Johannes Sindorf, champion swimmer also called "Rob Sindorff"*, born Koepang Timor Indonesia (Asia, Oceania) 15 July 1924 deceased Fort Meyers, Florida USA 10 June 1998, being a child of Johannes Cornelis Petrus SINDORF (1895-1978) and Maria Johanna Jacoba De LANGE (1898-1977). Siblings were his older sister Dolores Marie Sindorf (1921-2002) and younger sisters Louise Gerdina Maria Sindorf (1928-1949), Maria Theresia Sindorf (Marijke) (x-x) and younger brother Rudolf Jan Sindorf (x-x).


Rob "Sindorff" repatriated after 1945 from Indonesia back to the Netherlands spending his time at the Japanese concentration camp Tjideng Camp. From his sister Louise Gerdina Maria who married 20-4-1949 J.E.M. Fagel a connection was made with Frank Fagel searching for family Sindorf linked to ⏯️ Tjideng Kamp Indonesie and able to refer to possible location family USA.


Robert married 22-12-1950 Willemina Paula Louisa de Keijzer and on 16-10-1956 emigrated with KLM to USA.


From this marriage:

1. Robert Johannes Sindorf (Bob) born Amsterdam December 8, 1951 lived Little

Falls, New Jersey. Masters Degree Columbia School of Architecture 'Sun Gate' married

Gabby. From this marriage: Derrick, Lloyd, Hanna and Owen.

2. Bryan Sindorf


A compilation of the media articles from the Netherlands💖:,


Free-use, No copy right - Weekjournaal van Polygoon Hollands Nieuws van week 33 uit 1946 , maker Polygoon Hollands Nieuws (producer), Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid (admin): NAT. ZWEMKAMPIOENSCHAPPEN - Open Beelden

International tournaments

At the swimmingsport in Indonesia in 1939 T. Amono for Japan won a world record freestyle stroke for men at the 1500m in 18min 58,8sec (18.58.8).. Earlier in 1938 the best six moved between 20.47.0 and 27.54,2.

For the Malangian swimmingclub represented by Rob (Sindorf ) the Batavia-competition was postponed until January, 7 1940 and achieved a time with Vlijmen and Kaufman between 23 and 23.5. Best Dutch (from the Netherlands) were Smithuysen 21.39.6, Van den Bogaerde 23.24.4, Pronk 23.36.7, Roeleven 23.36,8 and Swier 2.54,8

In the Amstelparkbad in Amsterdam (the Netherlands, Europe) a nine days European swim event was held on June, 30, 1946 . After victory by France with tribute to Padou Jr., Lugan, Hatot and Jany on the 4x200m freestyle with 9.35.4 the Netherlans won silver for the 2nd place as a result of Sindorf, Scheffer, v.d. Kuil and Kees Hoving with 9.47,2sec. The 4 participants countries were France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden.


The next month, end July 1946, the Netherlands won from Switserland (neutral in Europe), a first country meeting held in Zürich. Not only won the Dutch waterpolo team from Switerland, Sindorf achieved 1.2.2 on the 100m without breaking his own record.

Later that year in November 1946, first in Copenhagen (Denmark, Europe) a competition with the Denish . Sindorf achieved gold on the free style the 100m in 1.0,5. and beat his own personal record from Amsterdam earlier that year. On 10 and 11 November 1946 a competition was organised by Brussels SC in the Belgium (Europe) capital Dutch team Haarlem HVGB are present in the capacity of Rob Sindorf and Herman Smitshuyzen ('t Y).


On April, 28 1947 the Dutch waterpolo team is selected for the competition with the Swedish Hellas from Stockholm. The duel takes place in Arnhem (Netherlands). Kniest (club Neptunus) on goal. Sindorf ('t Y), Ittman (A.Z.'82), W. Schens (A.Z. '82), J. Memelink (U.Z.S.C.) en W. van Setten (Neptunus) front. Reserves are H. van Leersum (U.Z.S.C.) and Jansen (Neptunus). Due to Sindorf a battle, as a result of prohibitation to start issued by the committee of swimming competition for the100m freestyle, between the lessor gods turns out favourable for the Swedish Gustafson with a time of 1.4.2

Beginning of September 1947 the Netherlands sends 11 swimmers to Monte Carlo in Monaco (Europe) with no one less then Nel van Vliet (to become Olympic gold winner), Jenny de Groot, Hannie Termeulen, Greetje Gaillard, Coby Floor, Iet Koster, van Feggelen, Irma Schuhmacher and Marie Louise Vaessen, while also Haasman, Hoving and Sindorf are representing the Netherlands.

Alec Janny improved his own worldrecord 4x200m with half a second with 2.04.9.

Hungary established a new European record with 9.03.4 and Hoving, Van Daatzelaar, Sindorf and Aldendort end with 9.29.5 on the sixth place of their series. For Sindorf it was not feasible to swim against these "giants" and arrived 5th in 1.3.2min.

During the international swimming contest on march 3, 1948 held on initiative by the Arnhem (Netherlands) swimming club Neptunus Sindorf won the first place on the 100m free style with 1.1.5. E. de Koster is second (1.3.8) and third is J. de Gans (1.4.9).

In August 1948, the beach town of Weston-Super-Mare in England celebrated the success of Sindorf ('Y), who secured first place in the 100 yards freestyle event.


Olympic Games

In the swimmingpool Crailoo in Hilversum the Netherlands on Saturday 21 June 1946 a beginning was made by the union K.N.Z.B. by club 'Robben'-trainer Jan Stender, who will practise the best and most promissing swimmers for various contests with the final goal the Olympic Games in 1948. The committee swimming contest choose 30 swimmers including R.J. Sindorf ('t Y) and Nel van Vliet.

For the training of the 4x200m freestyle stroke the Netherlands-France possibly for the Olympic Games in March 1948, gentlemen D. v.d. Kil (SZB), R. Sindorf ('t Y), F. Aldendorff (A.Z), J. Tjebbes (HPC) en J. Overeem (HPC) are appointed by the KNZB after pre-selection with also Rob Bonte and Rinus van Daatselaar . In London the Netherlands won 5xgold for the ladies only including Nel van Vliet, (2xzilver en 9xbrons including waterpolo for the gentlemen. Rob was not part of this team.

The selection competitions in Amersfoort for the Olympic swimming team, both in open water and a fifty-meter pool, follow. In the 100m event, Tjebbes emerged as a surprise. It wasn't due to his moderate time, but because he secured first place with a time of 1min 02.2sec, ahead of Hoving (1min 02.6sec), L. v.d. Berg (1.02.7), and Sindorf (1.03.6), whose performances and times were disappointing. Nonetheless, Tjebbes set a personal record. Hypothetically, during the Games, Tjebbes would have ranked 27th in the world, between the Britons Patrick Hume Kendall (1.02.1) and Trevor James Harrop (1.02.3), with Walter. Stephen Ris representing America with a time of 0.57.00, surpassing Alexander Jany of France (0.58.30), who shared 4th place with American Keith Eyre Carter and Sweden's Per-Olof Olsson was Olympic champion on the 100m freestyle was on July 30, 1948. In that case, Sindorf would have plausibly finished between 6th and just ahead of the 8th place of the Egyptian Taha Yussuf El Gamal (01:00.50) with his personal and Dutch national record earlier that year in 1948 (1:00.19), or at most the 32nd place of the Chinese Choan-Yick Go (1:03.5) and 33rd place of the Brazilian Plato De Barros Guimaraes (1:03.7) on the world ranking.


National tournaments

For the National Swimming Championships held on August 9, 10, and 11, 1946, there were 48 clubs registered, compared to 40 in 1944, with a total of 321 male and female swimmers. These participants had titles to defend and were assigned by drawing lots. Sindorf was a standout in the challenging Olympic event of the men's 1500m, which had 28 entries, and he was considered one of the favorites.

At the Apeldoorn Boschbad, Sindorf was unseated in the 1500m event by the emerging talent, 16-year-old Van Daatselaar (A.Z.1870), who finished in 21 minutes 50 seconds, an unexpected outcome. Sindorf set a new personal best, surpassing his 1941 Indonesian time, with 22 minutes 14.3 seconds and was the champion in 1944. Sindorf displayed superior technique, with better turns and a straighter lane presence. Schopman came in third with a time of 22 minutes 45.8 seconds. The swimming club 'het Y' team, consisting of J.L. Schopman, Molenaar, R.J. Sindorf, and M. van Daatselaar, claimed victory in the men's 4 x 200 m freestyle relay. The media also noted H. van Rootselaar.


As a senior, Sindorf joined the Swimming Club Admiraal de Ruyter on March 16, 1947, to compete in the 100m before a sold-out audience. After an intense contest, Sindorf emerged victorious, finishing just 1 second ahead of the seasoned Stans Scheffer. His time was 1 minute 1.8 seconds, did not exceeding his previous personal best from Copenhagen earlier in November.


At the Dutch Swimming Championships in 1947, held on August 9 and 10 in Veendam, Sindorf secured silver medals in both the 100m freestyle (1:03.5) and the 400m freestyle (5:17.66).


During the 1948 Dutch Swimming Championships on July 9, 10, and 11 in The Hague, Sindorf again claimed silver in the 100m freestyle with a time of 1:01.9. After returning from Switzerland, Sindorf's performance was considered somewhat sensational when he competed in the Amsterdam meet in October 1949 with minimal practice, clocking 1:01.3 in the 100m freestyle. Although not a personal best, this time was enough to secure first place. Additionally, at the swimming event in The Hague that same month, Sindorf won the men's 100m freestyle with a time of 1:02.6.[50]


The Dutch championships in Haarlem took place on November 26, 1949. The titleholder, the Hague's Z.I.A.N., participated with Hans Wintermans, Frits Smol, and Hans Rademakers. They faced competition from Sindorf, J. Sillakus, G. Dikstaal, Eddy de Koster, and J. de Groot from 't Y, as well as H.P.C. with Frits de Geest, Joris Tjebbes, and Jan Overeem. The differences in strength were extremely minimal. Club HZ&PC emerged victorious in the water polo results of 1949.


At the end of January 1953, a quadrangular tournament was held in Dordrecht by club Merwede, for which Sindorf competed. Surae (Breda), AZC (Arnhem), and Vitesse (The Hague) also participated. The undisputed winner of the 100m breaststroke was Sindorf with a time of 1 minute 20.6 seconds, leaving Hennekam from Surae behind, who achieved a time of 1 minute 22.8 seconds.

In 1957, Sindorf took part in the water polo match ZIAN - Merwede[55] and showed a passion for water polo until 1985[56] as well as in 1992, after which the torch was passed to Ilse Sindorf.[57]




C.I.O.S. fitness trainer & gymnastics teacher in Secondary Education in Amsterdam


In the late summer of his swimming career, and as a former Dutch swimming champion, fitness training was started at the C.I.O.S. sports school grounds in Overveen under the guidance of Rob Sindorf to bring water polo to the top of the world level. The European Water Polo Championships were held in the summer of 1954 in Turin between the Netherlands and Hungary. Techniques such as dry training were developed to loosen the muscles.


For the 17 members of the Dutch water polo team, including reserves and some officials from the K.N.Z.B., training began on November 21, 1954, under the guidance of Sindorf. Rudi van Feggelen, who had held the center-forward position in the national team since World War II, announced that he would end his career. This training was intended as preparation for the 1956 Olympic Games, and the The Hague water polo players Ingenluyff, Korevaar, Van Gelder, Waalewijn, and Smol (all from H.Z.&P.C.) were invited to participate in this training. Gerrit Bijlsma, Nijs Korevaar, Max van Gelder, Joop Cabout, and Wolters were absent with valid reasons.


In 1955, a comprehensive training program was initiated for the potential participation of the Dutch water polo team in the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. This program was introduced to the selected candidates at the Krasnapolsky Theatre in Amsterdam. Thirteen individuals were already chosen: Gerrit Bijlsma (Haarlem), Nico Luchs, Harry Lamme, and Anton de Boer (Robben), H. Wim Mostert and Freddy van Dorp (AZ & PC), Cees v.d. Toorn (GZC), Hans Muller (Dolfijn), Nijs Korevaar, Wim Wallewijn, and Frits Smol (HZ & PC), along with goalkeepers Rolf Waagenaar (Meeuwen) and Ben Kniest (Neptunus-Arnhem). Training for "Melbourne" was conducted in Kolpabad Vlaardingen from September to November 11, 1956. The Olympic Games commenced on November 22, 1956.


Right before the event began, the Netherlands, guided by a decision from the Dutch Olympic Committee and backed by all sports federations that had already released a photo book, withdrew to implement a sports boycott in response to the Soviet Union's military invasion of Hungary. This was understandably frustrating for the athletes of that generation.


Person records

Short track

Distance

Time

Date

Place

4x200m borstcrawl

9min. 47,2sec

30-6-1946

Amsterdam[75]

400m vrije slag

5min. 17,6sec

10-8-1947

NK-Veendam[48]

100m borstcrawl

1min. 0,19sec

11-7-1948

NK-Den Haag[76]

100m borstcrawl

1min. 0,36sec

21-6-1948

Amersfoort[26]

100m borstcrawl

1min. 0,35sec

10-8-1947

NK-Veendam[48]

100m borstcrawl

1min. 1,05sec

x-11-1946

Kopenhagen[11]

100m borstcrawl

1min. 1,9sec

30-6-1946

Amsterdam[77]


Long track

Distance

Time

Date

Place

1500m vrije slag

22min 14,3sec

9-8-1946

Apeldoorn, NL[32]

1500m vrije slag

22min 15,2sec

(1944)>1945

Ned. kampioenschap[78]

1500m vrije slag

22min 44,8sec

13-4-1941

Malang, Indië[2][79]


"Rob Sindorff appears to have already overcome the consequences of his stay in the Indian concentration camp and proved to be undisputedly the strongest in the same men's event." - (possibly: Tjideng Camp - Japan)
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Zwemkroniek; official organ of the Dutch Royal Swim Association jrg 23, 1946, no. 25, 04-07-1946 date 04-07-1946


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Sport algemeen sportwekblad 29-07-1946


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Zwemkroniek 29-04-1948 Zwemclub Y in Amsterdam


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Sportief, weekblad voor alle sporten, jrg 3, 1948 no 26 - 25-06-1948


ANP News message 16 October 1949 09:30

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*Dutch news reports in national an regional media between 1940-1985 (from the Netherlands)


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