Martha Kolthof

Martha Cecile Kolthoff (27 January 1908 — ‎15 September 1999) was a Dutch sprinter, javelin thrower and discus thrower in the 1920s. She was a member of Hygiëa, The Hague.

Her earliest achievement was in September 1923, becoming champion of South Holland in the athletics’ triathlon. In 1924 she won in this competition the javelin throw. In September 1925 she broke with Hygiëa [nl] the national record in the 4x 80 meters. Later the month she became national champion in the athletics’ triathlon ahead of Leny Rombout and Nettie Grooss [en]. She also became with her club national champion in the 4x 80 metres relay.

In 1927 she became Dutch national champion in the 4x 100 metres together with Nici Mür, Willy Hamerslag and Nettie Grooss with a time of 55 seconds.

On 31 July 1927 Kolthof set the first official Dutch national record in the discus throw with 23.84 metres.

During an out of competition record attempt in September 1927 Nici Mür threw in discus throw 24.11 metres, so further than the record of Kolthoff. Kolthof broke during this record attempt session the national records javelin throw with 27.25 metres. While a special prize was awarded for the new record and these records were mentioned in newspapers as new national records, the records were never recognized by the Dutch athletics federation. Kolthof lost eventually the record in August 1928 to Lena Michaëlis [en].

Kolthoff was born on 27 January 1908 in Batavia, Dutch East Indies. She was the only child of father Abraham Kolthoff (1863-1940) who was director Officer of Health 1st class of the K.N.I.L. and worked in in Batavia. Her mother was Johanna Cornelia Brandon (1870-1947). They moved back to the Netherlands where she married to mechanical engineer Lucas Ruinen (1901-1993) on 20 August 1937 in The Hague. They had four children together.