Sammy Monsels

As his native country Suriname was not yet indepedent, when Sammy Monsels grew up, he was able to win national titles in Suriname as well as the Netherlands. He studied in the Netherlands between 1971 and 1975, making his Olympic debut at the 1972 Games. Following his country’s independence, he returned to Suriname and became involved in the country’s military government, acting as chief of sport matters. He quit active sports for a while, but returned in the early 1980s, winning his second 100 m Dutch title in 1983, eight years after his first. Monsels is suspected to have been involved in the “December Murders”, when 15 opponents of Desi Bouterse’s military rule were executed, officially for an attempted escape from Fort Zeelandia. Monsels was listed as a suspect, but no charges were filed. He claims to have been at the Fort, but not involved in the killings. In the late 1980s, Monsels returned to live in the Netherlands, and has founded two sports clubs in Bijlmermeer, an Amsterdam suburb dominated by immigrants.

Personal Bests: 100 – 10.32 (1982); 200 – 20.7 (1981).