London 2012: Olivier Siegelaar, Men's Rowing, The Netherlands

It's no secret that Cal hosts some of the best student-athletes and coaches in the world. This summer, we profile some of the Cal men and women representing their home countries at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. Today, we look at Olivier Siegelaar, who will compete in Men's Rowing, representing the Netherlands.

Interview with Olivier Siegelaar at the 2011 World Rowing Championships

Oliver Siegalaar was a senior during the 2011 season. Named to the Pac-10 All-Conference team, Siegelaar was a member of the boat that defeated Stanford at The Big Row. As a junior, Siegelaar rowed in Cal's National Champion varsity 8's. He competed for the Netherlands in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, making it all the way to the finals before falling to a Mike Teti-coached U.S. team and finishing fourth. He will represent the Netherlands this summer.

From Olivier's CalBears.com profile:

2011 (Senior): Named to the Pac-10 All-Conference team ... competed on Cal's varsity 8+ boat that topped Stanford at The Big Row, placed second at the Pac-10 Championships and finished third at the IRA national championships.

2010 (Junior): Rowed on Cal's national-champion varsity 8+ at the IRA Regatta... came in second at the Pac-10 Championships in the varsity 8+... as part of the varsity 8+, defeated Stanford in the Big Row.

2009 (Sophomore) Rowed on Cal's Pac-10 Champion varsity 8+ that also placed second in the IRA Regatta.

Personal: Mechanical engineering major...parents are Janet Gerlins and Floris Siegelaar...born on Oct. 24, 1986, in Haarlem, the Nether-lands.