 At that time, 800 m was generally considered too physically demanding for female contestants, and had been removed from the Olympic programme after 1928.The following year, her coach and future husband, Jan Blankers, a former Olympic triple-jumper who had participated in the 1928 Olympics, encouraged her to enter the trials for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.At eighteen years old, she was selected to compete in the high jump and the 4 × 100 m relay.