| Rank | Event | Year | Location | |
| Olympic Games | ||||
| 1 | Dressage Individual | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | |
| 1 | Dressage Individual | 2004 | Athens, GRE | |
| 1 | Dressage Individual | 2000 | Sydney, NSW, AUS | |
| 2 | Dressage Team | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | |
| 2 | Dressage Team | 2000 | Sydney, NSW, AUS | |
| 2 | Dressage Individual | 1996 | Atlanta, GA, USA | |
| 2 | Dressage Team | 1996 | Atlanta, GA, USA | |
| 2 | Dressage Team | 1992 | Barcelona, ESP | |
| 4 | Dressage Team | 2004 | Athens, GRE | |
| 4 | Dressage Individual | 1992 | Barcelona, ESP | |
| 5 | Dressage Team | 1988 | Seoul, KOR | |
| 36 | Dressage Individual | 1988 | Seoul, KOR | |
| World Equestrian Games | ||||
| 1 | Grand Prix Freestyle | 2006 | Aachen, GER | |
| 1 | Kur to Music | 1994 | The Hague, NED | |
| 2 | Grand Prix Special | 2006 | Aachen, GER | |
| 2 | Dressage Team | 2006 | Aachen, GER | |
| 2 | Dressage Individual | 1998 | Rome, ITA | |
| 2 | Dressage Team | 1998 | Rome, ITA | |
| 2 | Dressage Team | 1994 | The Hague, NED | |
| World Cup Final | ||||
| 3 | Dressage Individual | 2009 | Las Vegas, NV, USA | |
| World Cup Western European League | ||||
| 1 | Dressage Individual | 2009/2010 | Lyon, FRA | |
| 1 | Dressage Individual | 2009/2010 | Odense, DEN | |
| 1 | Dressage Individual | 2008/2009 | Amsterdam, NED | |
| 2 | Dressage Individual | 2010/2011 | Stockholm, SWE | |
| 2 | Dressage Individual | 2008/2009 | Mechelen, BEL | |
| 2 | Dressage Individual | 2008/2009 | Stockholm, SWE | |
| 2 | Dressage Individual | 2008/2009 | Odense, DEN | |
| 3 | Dressage Individual | 2008/2009 | 's-Hertogenbosch, NED | |
Hobbies
Spending time with her children and reading. (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Occupation
Athlete, Horse Trainer, Coach
Family
Husband Sjef Janssen and children Yannick Janssen and Ava Eden.
Language(s) spoken
Dutch, German, English
Club name
Dressuurstal Van Grunsven , Erp, NED
Coach
Sjef Janssen [husband] (NED) from 1991 (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Other sports
Her father Wim, two brothers and sister-in-law [ Jacqueline Van Grunsven - the only other dressage rider] runs her business and training centre whilst on tour. Her brothers are interested in jumping and their children are also involved in jumping. Her mother Gerarda is also involved in horses. (fei.org, 29 Mar 2009)
Debut
1988 for Netherlands, Olympic Games (Seoul) (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Injuries
She broke her shoulder in 1997 and fractured her leg in early 2003. It took almost five months after breaking her leg before she was able to ride again and ten months to fully recover. She had iron rods placed in her leg heal but due to complications she had to have a second operation before the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. (Equestrian-connection.com, 02 Apr 2003, sportsquestinternational.com, 05 May 2004; Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Additional information
Start of sporting career
She began the sport in 1974 aged six at home. (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Reason for taking up this sport
Because of her love of horses. "My father loved horses and I got the virus as well." (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Ambitions
To live a long, healthy and happy life with family and friends. (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Training
Her riding day begins at 9 a.m. She rides her three competition Grand Prix horses [Krack C, Salinero and Painted Black] and also a small tour horse. She teaches in the afternoon and leaves plenty of time to enjoy her son. (anky.nl, 09 Feb 2012)
Most memorable sporting achievement
Becoming a three-time Olympic champion. (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Hero
Bonfire, her first Olympic champion horse. (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Most influential person in career
Her coach and husband Sjef Janssen. (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Superstitions / Rituals
She puts her left boot on first and wears a special belt, bracelet and watch. (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Carpe diem." (Athlete, 12 Jul 2012)
Awards
She was the Netherlands' flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. (horsesdaily.com, 02 Apr 2003)
She was named Rider of the Century in 2001. (KNHS, 18 Jul 2008, anky.nl, 21 Sep 2010)
She has won the Rider of the Year Award in the Netherlands eight times. (knhs.nl, 30 Aug 2010)
She was named as Sports Woman of the Year in 1994. (anky.nl, 21 Sep 2010)
She has received the Dutch Royal Awards Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau and Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion. (anky.nl, 30 Aug 2010)
In 2008 she won the World Cup Final and gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. She is the first rider to win individual gold three times in a row with two different horses. (anky.nl, 21 Sep 2010)
General
MATERNITY MEDAL
She was pregnant when she won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. (bbc.co.uk, 26 Jul 2011)
EQUESTRIAN FASHION
In 1999 she began her own line of clothing branded Anky Technical Casuals. The brand focusses its clothing and equipment on equestrian activities. It is sold in more than 20 countries around the world. (knhs.nl, 30 Aug 2010; intermediair.nl, 24 Jan 2012)
OLYMPIC FIRST
In 2008, she became the first rider to win individual gold at the Olympic Games three times in a row with two different horses. She won in 2000 with Bonfire and with Salinero in 2004 and 2008. (anky.nl, 09 Feb 2012)
STATUE
In the centre of the town of Erp, a life-sized bronze statue of Bonfire [her gold medal winning horse at the 2000 Olympic Games], graces the town green. (equisearch.com, 29 Mar 2009)
DOUBTS
After she won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney with her horse Bonfire, she briefly thought about quitting the sport because she was at a loss for what to do next. But she decided to continue riding. "If you stop at the peak you miss more highlights," she said. (intermediair.nl, 24 Jan 2012)
Previous Olympics
Beijing 2008, Athens 2004, Sydney 2000, Atlanta 1996, Barcelona 1992, Seoul 1988
