Maurice Peeters

Maurice Peeters

Peeters after winning the 1km sprint at the 1920 Olympics

Personal information

Full name

Mouritius Prosper Peeters

Born

5 May 1882
Antwerp, Belgium

Died

5 December 1957 (aged 75)
Leidschendam, the Netherlands

Team information

Discipline

Track

Role

Rider

Rider type

Sprinter

Medal record

Representing the Netherlands

Men's track cycling
Olympic Games
	1920 Antwerp	1000 m sprint
	1924 Paris	2000 m tandem

Mouritius "Maurice" Prosper Peeters (5 May 1882 – 5 December 1957) was a track cyclist from the Netherlands, who represented his country at the two consecutive Summer Olympics (1920 and 1924).^[1]

He was born in Antwerp, Belgium, but was raised in The Hague. He died in nearby Leidschendam.

In 1920, Peeters became amateur world champion in track cycling. One day later he rode the Olympic 1000 m sprint, and of course he was considered a favourite. He lost in the first round, but his second place was enough to progress to the next round. He then won the quarter final and the semi-final. In the final, he rode against two British cyclists, Harry Ryan and Tiny Johnson. They tried to make use of their numerical advantage, and Ryan attacked, so that Peeters had to get him back. In the final corner, Johnson should came around the corner to win the race, but Peeters was ahead and kept his lead.^[2] After having won the gold medal at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp (1000 m sprint), making him the first Dutch individual Olympic champion, he captured the bronze medal four years later in the 2000 m tandem competition, alongside Gerard Bosch van Drakestein.^[3]