Barend Bonneveld was a heavyweight wrestler who took third place at the 1911 unofficial World Championship in Dresden. This earned him a place in the Dutch team for the 1912 Olympic Games. After a successful start beating Emil Backenius from Finland, he lost the next bout and was disqualified for passivity in the third, leading to his elimination. In 1920, he lost his only bout against 1912 silver medalist Anders Ahlgren. He was a driving force in his sport of wrestling and a prominent face in the local and international community.