Pieter van den Hoogenband Withdraws From European Championships Due to Illness

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands, March 19. ACCORDING to a release by meet organizers, hometown favorite Pieter van den Hoogenband has withdrawn from the European Championships held in Eindhoven due to illness. This came shortly after he missed semifinals in the 200 free with a 20th-place 1:49.99.

"I am sick with stomach problems," van den Hoogenband told meet organizers. "I had even considered withdrawing from the 200m free. I didn't feel well at all yesterday during the 4x100m freestyle relay. I am very disappointed, after all, Eindhoven is my hometown."

"It now depends on the medical diagnosis whether Pieter can continue to swim in the European Championships," Coach Jacco Verhaeren said. "The race today was one of Pieter's worst I ever saw…"

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