# Nelli Cooman > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Nelli_Cooman > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Nelli_Cooman.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelli_Cooman > Source revision: 1317346370 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Dutch sprinter (born 1964)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name =Nelli Cooman | image =Nelli Cooman.jpg | image_size = | caption =Nelli Cooman in 1986 | birth_name = | fullname = | nationality = | residence = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1964|06|06}} | birth_place = [Paramaribo](/source/Paramaribo), [Suriname](/source/Suriname_(Kingdom_of_the_Netherlands)) | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{convert|1.59|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|60|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} | country = | sport = Sprint | club = Atletiek- en Trimclub '75, Haren | retired = | olympics = | highestranking = | show-medals = yes | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|the {{NED}}}} {{MedalCompetition|[World Indoor Championships](/source/IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships)}} {{MedalGold|[1987 Indianapolis](/source/1987_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships)|60 m}} {{MedalGold|[1989 Budapest](/source/1989_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships)|60 m}} {{MedalCompetition|[European Championships](/source/European_Athletics_Championships)}} {{MedalBronze|[1986 Stuttgart](/source/1986_European_Athletics_Championships)|100 m}} {{MedalCompetition|[European Indoor Championships](/source/European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships)}} {{MedalGold|[1985 Piraeus](/source/1985_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships)|60 m}} {{MedalGold|[1986 Madrid](/source/1986_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships)|60 m}} {{MedalGold|[1987 Lievin](/source/1987_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships)|60 m}} {{MedalGold|[1988 Budapest](/source/1988_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships)|60 m}} {{MedalGold|[1989 The Hague](/source/1989_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships)|60 m}} {{MedalGold|[1994 Paris](/source/1994_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships)|60 m}} {{MedalBronze|[1984 Gothenburg](/source/1984_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships)|60 m}} {{MedalBronze|[1990 Glasgow](/source/1990_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships)|60 m}} }} '''Cornelli''' "'''Nelli'''" '''Antoinette Hariëtte Cooman''' (born 6 June 1964) is a former [Dutch](/source/Netherlands) [athlete](/source/Athletics_(sport)) of [Suriname](/source/Suriname)se origin. At the [60 metres](/source/60_metres), she is two-time [World indoor champion](/source/IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships_in_Athletics), six-time [European indoor champion](/source/European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships) and former world record holder, running 7.00 secs in 1986. She also won 19 national titles. ==Early life== Cooman grew up in [Suriname](/source/Suriname_(Kingdom_of_the_Netherlands)) in a family together with four sisters and one brother. When she was eight, the family moved to [Rotterdam](/source/Rotterdam) in the Netherlands. She started to play [soccer](/source/soccer) and soon got the nickname "Miss Pele". At sixteen, she was discovered to be a very good [sprinter](/source/Sprint_(running)) during a sporting event at school; thus she began a career in [athletics](/source/Athletics_(sport)). Three months later, she competed in the European Junior Championships in [Utrecht](/source/Utrecht_(city)) and finished seventh in the [100 m](/source/100_metres) sprint. At seventeen, she won the [silver medal](/source/silver_medal) in the National Championships. After graduating secondary school, she turned professional with [Henk Kraaijenhof](/source/Henk_Kraaijenhof) as trainer. ==Professional career== During her time as a professional athlete from 1984 to 1995, she was twice world indoor champion in the 60 m (1987 and 1989), and six times European indoor champion. At the [1986 European Indoor Championships](/source/1986_European_Indoor_Championships_in_Athletics), she won in a time of 7.00 seconds, setting a [world record](/source/List_of_world_records_in_athletics). Because of that achievement, she was elected [Dutch Sportswoman of the year](/source/Dutch_Sportsman_of_the_year). Her world record lasted until February 1992 and still stands as national record. Cooman took part twice in the Summer Olympics for the Netherlands: in 1988 in the 100 metres and 4 × 100 m relay and in 1992 in 100 metres. In 1995, Cooman ended her career as a professional athlete. ==Personal bests== {| class="wikitable" |+Personal best performances"[https://worldathletics.org/athletes/netherlands/14291554 Nelli Cooman]", ''[World Athletics](/source/World_Athletics)''. Retrieved 6 March 2025. |- !scope="col"|Event !scope="col"|{{Abbr|Time|Time in seconds}} !scope="col"|Location !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Record |- !scope="row"|[50 metres](/source/50_metres) |6.19 {{AthAbbr|i}} |[Ottawa](/source/Ottawa), Canada |31 January 1987 |style="text-align:center"|{{AthAbbr|NR|Dutch}} |- !scope="row"|[55 metres](/source/55_metres) |6.65 {{AthAbbr|i}} |[New York City](/source/New_York_City), United States |30 January 1987 | |- !scope="row"|[60 metres](/source/60_metres) |7.00 {{AthAbbr|i}} |[Madrid](/source/Madrid), Spain |23 February 1986 |style="text-align:center"|{{AthAbbr|NR|Dutch}} |- !scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2"|[100 metres](/source/100_metres) |11.08 {{AthAbbr|i}} |[Stuttgart](/source/Stuttgart), Germany |27 August 1986 | |- |11.08 {{AthAbbr|i}} |[Seoul](/source/Seoul), South Korea |24 September 1988 | |} ==International competitions== {| {{AchievementTable|nation=NED|Event=yes|Result=yes|NotesOff=yes}} |- !scope="row"|1984 !scope="row"|[European Indoor Championships](/source/1984_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships) |[Gothenburg](/source/Gothenburg), Sweden |bgcolor=cc9966| 3rd |[60 m](/source/1984_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.23 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="row"|1985 !scope="row"|[European Indoor Championships](/source/1985_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships) |[Piraeus](/source/Piraeus), Greece |bgcolor=gold|1st |[60 m](/source/1985_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.10 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="rowgroup" rowspan=3|1986 !scope="row"|[European Indoor Championships](/source/1986_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships) |[Madrid](/source/Madrid), Spain |bgcolor=gold|1st |[60 m](/source/1986_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.00 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="rowgroup" rowspan=2|[European Championships](/source/1986_European_Athletics_Championships) |rowspan=2|[Stuttgart](/source/Stuttgart), West Germany |bgcolor="cc9966"|3rd |[100 m](/source/1986_European_Athletics_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_100_metres) |11.08 |- |7th |[4 × 100 m relay](/source/1986_European_Athletics_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_4_%C3%97_100_metres_relay) |44.38 |- !scope="rowgroup" rowspan=3|1987 !scope="row"|[European Indoor Championships](/source/1987_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships) |[Lievin](/source/Lievin), France |bgcolor=gold|1st |[60 m](/source/1987_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.01 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="row"|[World Indoor Championships](/source/1987_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships) |[Indianapolis](/source/Indianapolis), United States |bgcolor=gold |1st |[60 m](/source/1987_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.08 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="row"|[World Championships](/source/1987_World_Championships_in_Athletics) |[Rome](/source/Rome), Italy |13th ({{AthAbbr|sf}}) |[100 m](/source/1987_World_Championships_in_Athletics_%E2%80%93_Women's_100_metres) |11.21 |- !scope="rowgroup" rowspan=3|1988 !scope="row"|[European Indoor Championships](/source/1988_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships) |[Budapest](/source/Budapest), Hungary |bgcolor=gold|1st |[60 m](/source/1988_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.04 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="rowgroup" rowspan=2|[Olympic Games](/source/Athletics_at_the_1988_Summer_Olympics) |rowspan=2|[Seoul](/source/Seoul), South Korea |12th ({{AthAbbr|sf}}) |[100 m](/source/Athletics_at_the_1988_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_100_metres) |11.13 |- |8th ({{AthAbbr|sf}}) |[4 × 100 m relay](/source/Athletics_at_the_1988_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_4_%C3%97_100_metres_relay) |43.48 |- !scope="rowgroup" rowspan=2|1989 !scope="row"|[European Indoor Championships](/source/1989_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships) |[The Hague](/source/The_Hague), Netherlands |bgcolor=gold|1st |[60 m](/source/1989_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.15 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="row"|[World Indoor Championships](/source/1989_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships) |[Budapest](/source/Budapest), Hungary |bgcolor=gold| 1st |[60 m](/source/1989_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.05 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="row"|1990 !scope="row"|[European Indoor Championships](/source/1990_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships) |[Glasgow](/source/Glasgow), United Kingdom |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |[60 m](/source/1990_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.14 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="row"|1991 !scope="row"|[World Indoor Championships](/source/1991_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships) |[Seville](/source/Seville), Spain |9th ({{AthAbbr|sf}}) |[60 m](/source/1991_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.28 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="row"|1992 !scope="row"|[Olympic Games](/source/Athletics_at_the_1992_Summer_Olympics) |[Barcelona](/source/Barcelona), Spain |17th ({{AthAbbr|qf}}) |[100 m](/source/Athletics_at_the_1992_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_100_metres) |11.55 |- !scope="row"|1993 !scope="row"|[World Indoor Championships](/source/1993_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships) |[Toronto](/source/Toronto), Canada |7th |[60 m](/source/1993_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.29 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="rowgroup" rowspan=2|1994 !scope="row"|[European Indoor Championships](/source/1994_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships) |[Paris](/source/Paris), France |bgcolor=gold|1st |[60 m](/source/1994_European_Athletics_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.17 {{AthAbbr|i}} |- !scope="row"|[European Championships](/source/1994_European_Athletics_Championships) |[Helsinki](/source/Helsinki), Finland |5th |[100 m](/source/1994_European_Athletics_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_100_metres) |11.40 |- !scope="row"|1995 !scope="row"|[World Indoor Championships](/source/1995_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships) |[Barcelona](/source/Barcelona), Spain |6th |[60 m](/source/1995_IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships_%E2%80%93_Women's_60_metres) |7.17 {{AthAbbr|i}} |} ==Trivia== Since 1997, the Nelli Cooman Games are organised in the city of [Stadskanaal](/source/Stadskanaal). At first, these games were only for youth-category competitors, but they grew to be a national A-status KNAU ([Royal Dutch Athletics Federation](/source/Royal_Dutch_Athletics_Federation)) event. Cooman is the honorary chairwoman of this event. Dutch singer [Gerard Cox](/source/Gerard_Cox) wrote a song about Nelli Cooman to a tune by [Stevie Wonder](/source/Stevie_Wonder). ==References== {{Reflist|refs= [http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/73729 Nelli Fiere-Cooman]. olympedia.org }} ==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Sports links}} {{S-start}} {{S-ach|rec}} {{S-new|first}} {{S-ttl|title=[Women's 60 metres world record holder](/source/Women's_60_metres_world_record_progression)|years=1986 – 1992}} {{S-aft|after=[Merlene Ottey](/source/Merlene_Ottey)}} {{S-ach|aw}} {{S-bef|before=[Carla Beurskens](/source/Carla_Beurskens)}} {{S-ttl|title=[KNAU Cup](/source/KNAU_Cup)|years=1986
1994|rows=2}} {{S-aft|after=[Elly van Hulst](/source/Elly_van_Hulst)}} {{S-bef|before=[Ellen van Langen](/source/Ellen_van_Langen)}} {{S-aft|after=[Sharon Jaklofsky](/source/Sharon_Jaklofsky)}} {{succession box|title=[Dutch Sportswoman of the Year](/source/Dutch_Sportsman_of_the_year)|before=[Bettine Vriesekoop](/source/Bettine_Vriesekoop) |after=[Irene de Kok](/source/Irene_de_Kok)|years=1986}} {{S-end}} {{Footer World Indoor Champions 60m Women}} {{Footer European Indoor Champions 60m Women}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Cooman, Nelli}} Category:1964 births Category:20th-century Dutch sportswomen Category:Athletes from Paramaribo Category:Athletes from Rotterdam Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics Category:Dutch women sprinters Category:European Athletics Championships medalists Category:Living people Category:Olympic athletes for the Netherlands Category:Olympic women sprinters Category:Surinamese emigrants to the Netherlands Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for the Netherlands Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships winners --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nelli Cooman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelli_Cooman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelli_Cooman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.