# Marrit Steenbergen Sets New Dutch Record in 400m IM World record holder Steenbergen shatters national 400m individual medley record at Eredivisie competition. - **Source:** [SwimSwam](https://swimswam.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-09 - **Topic:** [sports](https://brifing.si/c/sports) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/da3957dd-1351-4d31-a4ef-a26fd2d4b00c ## Record-Breaking Performance Marrit Steenbergen established a new Dutch national record in the women's 400-meter individual medley during the second round of the Eredivisie Swimming Competition. The 26-year-old athlete finished with a time of 4:31.08 in the short course meters format. This performance highlights her exceptional versatility and continued dominance in competitive swimming events. ## Surpassing Longstanding Benchmark Steenbergen's time officially eclipsed the previous Dutch national record of 4:33.15, which had been held by retired Olympic champion Sharon van Rouwendaal since 2014. By shaving over two seconds off that decade-old standard, Steenbergen solidified her status as the fastest Dutch woman in history for this specific, grueling four-stroke swimming event. ## Rapid Personal Progression The improvement shown by Steenbergen is significant when compared to her previous personal best of 4:35.98, set in November 2025. Within just one year, she successfully reduced her time by nearly five seconds. This rapid progression underscores her rigorous training regimen and technical refinement leading into major international competitions scheduled for next month. ## Dominance Over Competition Steenbergen secured her victory by a substantial margin, leaving her closest competitors far behind in the pool. Kirsten Verhalle finished second with a time of 4:49.90, trailing the winner by over 17 seconds. Janne Slegers completed the podium, touching the wall at 5:10.94, further emphasizing Steenbergen's current superiority in the national field. ## Extensive Medal Collection The Dutch superstar possesses a decorated career, holding eight Long Course World Championships medals and six Short Course World Championships medals. Her trophy cabinet also includes 18 European Long Course Championships medals and 13 Short Course European Championships medals. These accolades demonstrate her sustained excellence across various formats and distances throughout her career. ## Preparation for Beijing This record-setting performance serves as a vital indicator of form ahead of the 2026 Short Course World Championships. Steenbergen has been officially named to the 15-strong Dutch roster set to compete in Beijing next month. Her current momentum suggests she will be a primary contender for podium finishes on the global stage. ## Technical Versatility Demands The 400-meter individual medley is widely considered one of the most challenging events in swimming, requiring mastery of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. Steenbergen's ability to excel in this event while maintaining world-class status in other disciplines highlights her unique physiological and technical adaptability compared to more specialized swimmers in the circuit. ## Context of Short Course The competition took place in a 25-meter short course pool, which differs from the standard 50-meter Olympic pool format. Short course racing places a higher emphasis on turns and underwater efficiency. Steenbergen’s ability to optimize these specific technical aspects has been instrumental in her recent record-breaking success within the Dutch national swimming framework. ## Sources covering this story - https://swimswam.com/versatile-wr-holder-steenbergen-delivers-43108-dutch-record-in-scm-400im/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._