Personal Statement
I am Vera-Elise Bakmeyer, an International student from Aruba. I am in my last year of HAVO; senior general secondary education, at my high school. I will be graduating June 2024. I want to go study abroad in the USA in 2024.
My goal is to achieve a scholarship in the USA to get better in my sport and to be able to achieve my goals and dreams and get a good foundation academically.
My dream: competing on a high level in middistance running in International competitions and achieving academic goals as that is just as important.
I started training track & field when I was 4 years and competing when I was 6 years old. Two years later I started speed swimming. I loved the combination of running and swimming and started competing at the age of 9 in the competitions of Aquathlon here in Aruba. In 2017, 2018 & 2019, I won the National Championship in sprint distance of Aquathlon in Aruba. In 2018 I also started competing in the triathlon sprint distances and went to the Carifta Triathlon & aquathlon in 2018 & 2019 as selection Aruba. I also won the National Championship in supersprint distance of triathlon in 2021.
Mid 2020 I decided to dedicate and commit fully to my main passion: running, middistance track & field.
April 2022 I went to the Carifta Games in Jamaica representing Aruba. I ran a National Record there on the 1500m.
May 2022 I went to the South American Youth Olympic Games in Rosario Argentina, representing Aruba, I ran an National Record there on the 800m.
April 2023 I represented Aruba once again in the middistance running.
At this moment we don't have a track here in Aruba because the only stadium we have is undergoing a major overhaul from January 2023 until at least October 2023. Just to understand that you don't see a lot of competitions because there is no option right now. I will aim for a competition Fall 2023. Right now I am finalizing my junior year of High school.
This is a me in a nuttshell, athletically speaking..
