Sporting history - Alex Schelvis Sponsoring

Alex Schelvis is a star in long-distance swimming. He was born on 9 August 1987 in Noordwijk, and has been participating in competition swimming since 1999. While hospitalised following appendicitis followed by a series of complications during the Sydney Olympic Games, he saw Pieter van den Hoogenband swimming and winning, and decided that he wanted to follow in his footsteps.

As a junior member of 'WVZ' in Zoetermeer, he started a serious training programme leading to excellent results, such as national titles in the 400 metre and 1500 metre free, short pool. In both disciplines he achieved a best ‘year performance’ for 17 year-olds (his predecessor was Pieter van den Hoogenband) and a national 1500 metre title for the long pool.

Alex Schelvis then transferred to 'De Kempvis', under the guidance of Dik Bergsma, where he achieved more success with national titles on the 1500 metre free (2004 and 2005) and 400 metre free (2005). He also participated in the European Youth Championships in Lisbon and Budapest. On both occasions he swam the 1500 metre free in a Dutch youth record time.

In 2005, Alex Schelvis again transferred, to 'MNC Dordrecht' where he was supervised and trained by his father Wim Schelvis. During the 2005 season, he achieved no further progression on his favourite distance (1500 metres); he nonetheless decided to participate in the European Championships short pool in Trieste (Italy). At the end of the season, which proved not entirely satisfactory, he decided (following much urging by Edith van Dijk and Andre Cats) to swim in the National Championships 5000 metres in Drachten (in the pool). Here, on the first occasion he had ever swum this distance uninterrupted, Alex Schelvis achieved a time which qualified him for participation in the European Youth Championships for Open Water Swimming in Muritz (Germany) and the European Championships in Budapest. In Muritz, Alex finished in 2nd place. In 2007, Alex took part in the Open Water World Championships in Melbourne, where he finished 5th in the 5 kilometre and 14th in the 10 kilometre.

Having missed the Olympic Games in Beijing, the new target is to participate in the London Games in 2012. He is currently preparing for the European Open Water Championships in Dubrovnik (Croatia) that start on 9 September 2008. His objective is a good finish position (top 5). The next planned event is the Open Water World Championships in Rome (July 2009).

Alex Schelvis himself said. "I have now focused on long-distance swimming; although my performance in the pool was good enough to participate in European and World Championships, I was not quick enough to really compete at the top level. In the European Youth Championships in open water, I was however able to compete with the best in the field. When the 10 kilometre in open water was also made an Olympic event, the prospects for participation became even better. I enjoy open water swimming, because I can swim with the field, but deep down I remain a pool swimmer and will undoubtedly also attempt to reach the top of that discipline, too.

Alex Schelvis takes Plantina Multi, Plantina Vitamin C and Plantina Trimare, together forming the basic supplement. In addition to supply his heart and muscles with sufficient energy he takes Plantina Ribose, Plantina L-carnitine en Plantina Coenzyme Q10 forte (150 mg).

Alex Schelvis is a major user of Plantina Ribose. The product helps him to maintain his training programme longer, and recover faster after major effort.