The Netherlands competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. Dutch athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games since its official debut in 1908. Netherlands, however, boycotted the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, because of the Soviet invasion of Hungary. The Netherlands National Olympic Committee (, NOC*NSF) sent a total of 210 athletes to the Games, 134 men and 76 women, to compete in 21 sports. Baseball, field hockey, and men's volleyball were the only team-based sports in which the Netherlands had its representation at these Games. There was only a single competitor in women's fencing.
The Dutch team featured five defending Olympic champions: swimming stars Pieter van den Hoogenband and Inge de Bruijn, road and track cyclist Leontien van Moorsel, dressage rider Anky van Grunsven along with her horse Bonfire, and middleweight judoka Mark Huizinga, who later became the Netherlands' flag bearer in the opening ceremony. Star sailor Mark Neeleman, at age 45, became the first Dutch male athlete to compete in six Olympic Games since 1980 (except the 1988 Summer Olympics, in which he was selected). Shooter Hennie Dompeling sought his fifth Olympic bid as one of the most sophisticated members of the team, having missed the medal podium in the men's skeet from Sydney four years earlier. Among the Dutch athletes of the team, several of them were born outside the Netherlands and became naturalized citizens, including sprinter Troy Douglas, who competed for three Olympics under the Bermudian flag, badminton players Mia Audina from Indonesia and Jie Yao from China, and taekwondo jin Charmie Sobers from the Netherlands Antilles.
Netherlands left Athens with a total of 22 Olympic medals, 4 golds, 9 silver, and 9 bronze, failing to achieve three medals short of the record from Sydney. Four Olympic champions managed to defend their titles from the previous Games in their respective events, while van den Hoogenband, de Bruijn, and van Moorsel still emerged as the most decorated Dutch athletes at these Games for the second time with more than a single medal. Seven of these medals were awarded to the athletes in swimming, including two from the freestyle relay teams; four each in cycling and judo, and three in rowing. Netherlands' team-based athletes proved particularly successful in Athens, as the men's and women's field hockey teams took home silver medals.
Medalists
| style="text-align:left; width:72%; vertical-align:top;"| Medal Name Sport Event Date Cycling Women's road time trial Swimming Men's 100 m freestyle Swimming Women's 50 m freestyle Equestrian Individual dressage * Swimming Men's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay Swimming Men's 200 m freestyle Judo Women's 70 kg Swimming Women's 100 m freestyle Badminton Women's singles (cox) Rowing Men's eight Cycling Men's sprint Field hockey Women's tournament Field hockey Men's tournament * Swimming Women's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay Swimming Women's 100 m butterfly Judo Women's 57 kg Judo Men's 90 kg Judo Men's +100 kg Cycling Women's individual pursuit Rowing Women's lightweight double sculls (cox)Rowing Women's eight Cycling Men's cross-country | style="text-align:left; width:23%; vertical-align:top;"|
Medals by sportSport TotalSwimming 2327Cycling 1124Equestrian 1001Field hockey 0202Judo 0134Rowing 0123Badminton 0101Total49922
Archery
Three Dutch archers qualified each for the men's individual archery, and a spot for the men's team.
AthleteEventRanking roundRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / ScoreSeedOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankPieter CustersMen's individual64636L 141–145Did not advanceWietse van Alten66114W 152–151L 160–164Did not advanceRon van der Hoff63349W 145–135L 155–158Did not advancePieter CustersWietse van AltenRon van der HoffMen's team19409colspan=2 W 244–234L 249–250Did not advance
Athletics
Dutch athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard).
Men Track & road events
AthleteEventHeatQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankLuc KrotwaarMarathoncolspan=6 Gert-Jan Liefers1500 m3:40.106 qcolspan=2 3:36.003 Q3:37.178Kamiel Maase10000 mcolspan=6 28:23.2914Gregory Sedoc110 m hurdles13.655 qDid not advanceBram Som800 m1:45.725 qcolspan=2 1:45.525Did not advanceSimon Vroemen3000 m steeplechase8:15.282 Qcolspan=4 8:13.256Timothy BeckCaimin DouglasTroy DouglasPatrick van Balkom4 × 100 m relaycolspan=4 Did not advance
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionRens BlomPole vault5.70=7 Q5.659Rutger SmithShot put19.6917Did not advanceDiscus throw61.1116Did not advance
Combined events – Decathlon AthleteEvent 100 m 400 m 1500 mFinalRankEugène MartineauResult10.996.842.0049.1015.0240.004.8063.624:31.79718529Points8637760803857847665849792733Chiel WarnersResult10.627.7414.581.9747.9714.0143.734.9055.394:38.0583435Points947995758776911973741880669693
Women Track & road events AthleteEventHeatFinalResultRankResultRankLornah Kiplagat10000 mcolspan=2 30:31.925Annemarie KramerJacqueline PoelmanPascal van AssendelftJoan van den Akker 4 × 100 m relayDid not advance
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionLieja TunksShot put18.389 q18.1411
Combined events – Heptathlon AthleteEvent 200 m 800 mFinalRankKarin RuckstuhlResult13.441.8513.3724.595.9036.702:13.95610816Points10591041752925819604908
Badminton
AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankMia AudinaWomen's singlesW 11–4, 11–1W 9–11, 11–1, 11–3W 11–0, 11–9W 11–4, 11–2L 11–8, 6–11, 7–11Jie YaoW 11–6, 11–8L 11–8, 10–13, 8–11Did not advanceMia AudinaLotte BruilWomen's doublesW 15–7, 15–7L 2–15, 2–15Did not advanceChris BruilLotte BruilMixed doubles L 4–15, 6–15Did not advance
Baseball
Roster Manager: 6 – Robert Eenhoorn
Coaches: 17 – Eric de Bruin, 30 – Davey Johnson, 32 – Hensley Meulens
Round robin TeamWLTiebreaker611-0610-152-43-34-25-161-0160-1
Canoeing
Slalom AthleteEventPreliminarySemifinalFinalRun 1RankRun 2RankTotalRankTimeRankTimeRankTotalRankFloris BraatMen's K-197.961097.189195.1411 Q101.3917Did not advanceSam Oud107.272295.413202.6820 Q94.463 Q102.829197.288
Cycling
Road Men AthleteEventTimeRankMichael BoogerdRoad raceDid not finishErik Dekker5:42:2941Thomas DekkerTime trial1:00:37.4920Servais KnavenRoad raceDid not finishKarsten Kroon 5:47:1352Max van Heeswijk5:41:5617
Women AthleteEventTimeRankMirjam MelchersRoad race3:25:066Time trial33:01.5813Anouska van der ZeeRoad raceDid not finishLeontien van MoorselRoad raceDid not finishTime trial31:11.53
Track Sprint AthleteEventQualificationRound 1Repechage 1Round 2Repechage 2QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalTimeSpeed (km/h)RankOppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)RankTheo BosMen's sprint10.21470.4912W 10.79966.672W 11.16464.493W 11.024,W 10.905W 10.502,W 10.639W 10.710, L, LTeun Mulder10.56568.14912LW 10.74067.039LLDid not advance9th place finalL10Yvonne HijgenaarWomen's sprint11.40063.1575LLcolspan=2 Did not advance9th place finalL11Jan BosTheo BosTeun MulderMen's team sprint44.53960.6216 QL 44.37060.851colspan=5 Did not advance6
Pursuit AthleteEventQualificationSemifinalsFinalTimeRankOpponentResultsRankOpponentResultsRankLevi HeimansMen's individual pursuitDid not advanceLeontien van MoorselWomen's individual pursuit3:30.4223 Q3:28.7473 Q3:27.037Levi HeimansJens MourisPeter SchepJeroen StraathofMen's team pursuit4:06.2865 Q4:04.6055Did not advance
Time trial AthleteEventTimeRankTheo BosMen's time trial1:01.9865Teun Mulder1:03.16511Yvonne HijgenaarWomen's time trial34.5325
Keirin AthleteEvent1st roundRepechage2nd roundFinalRankRankRankRankTheo BosMen's keirin5 R1 Q11Teun Mulder3 R4Did not advance
Omnium AthleteEventPointsLapsRankPeter SchepMen's points race5827Adrie VisserWomen's points race5011Robert SlippensDanny StamMen's madison2−114
Mountain biking AthleteEventTimeRankThijs AlMen's cross-country2:27:1325Bart Brentjens2:17:05Bas Peters2:21:4413Elsbeth van Rooy-VinkWomen's cross-country2:01:415
Equestrian
Because only three horse and rider pairs from each nation could advance beyond certain rounds in the individual events, five American pairs did not advance despite being placed sufficiently high. They received rankings below all pairs that did advance.
Dressage AthleteHorseEventGrand PrixGrand Prix SpecialGrand Prix FreestyleOverallScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankScoreRankImke BartelsLancetIndividual69.75015 Q71.72013 Q74.8501272.10711Sven RothenbergerBarclay I69.83314 Q69.04017Did not advanceMarlies van BaalenIdocus64.58343Did not advanceAnky van GrunsvenSalinero74.2083 Q77.8002 Q85.825179.278Imke BartelsSven RothenbergerMarlies van BaalenAnky van GrunsvenSee aboveTeamcolspan=6 71.2644
Show jumping AthleteHorseEventQualificationFinalTotalRound 1Round 2Round 3Round ARound BPenaltiesRankPenaltiesTotal RankPenaltiesTotal RankPenaltiesRankPenaltiesTotalRankPenaltiesRankGert-Jan BrugginkJoelIndividual4=1904=5 Q48=5 Q12=30Did not advanceGerco SchröderMonaco5=31813=33 Q131721Did not advanceWim Schröder Montreal0=144=5 Q812=13 Q4=4 QEliminatedLeopold van AstenFleche Rouge4=1948=16 Q816=19 Q12=30Did not advanceGert-Jan BrugginkGerco SchröderWim SchröderLeopold van AstenSee aboveTeamcolspan=8 8=1 Q1624=6244
Fencing
Women AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalFinal / Opposition ScoreOpposition ScoreOpposition ScoreOpposition ScoreOpposition ScoreOpposition ScoreRankSonja TolIndividual épéeL 7–15Did not advance
Field hockey
Men's tournament
Roster
Group play
Semifinals
Gold medal match
Women's tournament
Roster
Group play
Semifinals
Gold medal match
Gymnastics
Artistic Women AthleteEventQualificationFinalApparatusTotalRankApparatusTotalRankSuzanne HarmesAll-around9.1259.1378.1629.33735.76142Did not advanceLaura van Leeuwen9.0379.4378.6008.41235.48646Did not advance
Trampoline AthleteEventQualificationFinalScoreRankScoreRankAlan Villafuerte Men's44.9015Did not advanceRea LendersWomen's62.708 Q24.308
Judo
Seven Dutch judoka (four men and three women) qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Men AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechage 1Repechage 2Repechage 3Final / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankGuillaume Elmont−81 kgL 0001–1010Did not advanceMark Huizinga−90 kgW 1000–0000L 0000–0001Did not advanceW 0021–0001W 1012–0000W 1010–0000W 1001–0000Elco van der Geest−100 kgW 1011–0001W 1000–0000W 1020–0010L 0001–0011colspan=3 L 0001–10025Dennis van der Geest+100 kgW 1000–0000W 1001–0001L 0000–0001Did not advanceW 1000–0001W 1000–0000W 0201–0001
Women AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechage 1Repechage 2Repechage 3Final / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankDeborah Gravenstijn−57 kgW 1000–0001W 1011–0001W 1010–0010L 0000–1000colspan=3 W 1000–0010Edith Bosch−70 kgW 0111–0101W 1000–0000W 0110–0000colspan=3 L 0001–1000Claudia Zwiers−78 kgL 0111–1000Did not advanceL 0000–0102Did not advance
Rowing
Dutch rowers qualified the following boats:
Men