Olympic champion Annette Duetz announces retirement from Olympic sailing

Duetz retires as one of the most successful skiff sailors in the world having competed at three Olympic Games and winning gold at Paris 2024, bronze at Tokyo 2020 and four 49erFX world titles.

She grew up in a true sailing family. Her mother, Marion Bultman, competed at the 1988 Olympic Games, and her father, Hans Duetz, became world champion in 1982. During family holidays in Friesland, Annette took her first steps on the water — at first just for fun, together with her sister.

At the age of 13, the sisters joined the national 29er skiff training program. In that talent program, where future teammate Annemiek Bekkering and future coach Kaj Böcker  were already sailing.

She made her Olympic debut in Rio 2016, together with Bekkering, finishing seventh in the 49erFX class. The duo grew from promising talents into one of the most successful sailing teams in the world.

Five years later, at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Bekkering and Duetz won bronze — a historic achievement for Dutch women’s skiff sailing. With Bekkering, Duetz also became world champion twice, in 2018 and 2019. After Tokyo, Bekkering decided to retire from elite sport.

Duetz herself hesitated after Tokyo, saying she was curious about new challenges beyond competitive sailing.

“But sailing is just such a great and enjoyable thing to do. Starting a new campaign with Odile van Aanholt, who was already a world champion in the same discipline, was an amazing and fitting challenge,” Duetz explained.

Together they became world champions in 2022 and 2024, culminating in Olympic gold at Paris 2024.

“The Olympic Games last year in Marseille were the highlight of my sailing career. Odile and I had already achieved so much together that it could only be the icing on the cake. Of course, we felt the pressure because of that. But to actually win gold, with all our friends and family there with us, was incredibly special.”

After twelve years at the highest Olympic level, Duetz is now setting a new course. Alongside her sporting career, she studied Applied Physics at Delft University of Technology, graduating in 2022 with a thesis on wind forecasting in Marseille, the Olympic sailing venue.

“Saying goodbye to Olympic sailing feels very bittersweet. The combination of sailing itself and striving for the absolute best has been what I’ve lived for in recent years — and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to do this, especially surrounded by such great people. Annemiek and Odile as my teammates, Kaj as my coach, and everyone from the Watersportverbond.

At the same time, it’s the right moment for a new challenge. I’m really looking forward to whatever new experiences lie ahead — both within and beyond sailing.”