Smulders was the owner of the sharpie-type yacht “Mascotte”, which he entered in the 3-10 ton sailing class at the 1900 Olympics. His crew, Chris Hooijkaas and Arie van der Velden, were the first Dutch competitors at the Olympics - Smulders himself was in Paris but did not sail. The boat placed second in the first race in its class, thus also becoming the first Olypmic medallists, although no physical medals were awarded at the time. Smulders was director in the shipyard and machine factory A.F. Smulders, founded by his father, and his presence in Paris in 1900 was primarily for business purposes. In 1911, it was renamed Werf Gusto, and still exists as of 2023 under the name GustoMSC. Smulders retained a high position in the company until his death in France, at age 70.
Netherlands