 Her first medal at a Dutch Junior Championship (under 18/21) she reached in 1987 when she became third in Assen.One month later she won her first title at the Dutch Cadet Championship (under 16/18) in Elburg.In the following years she was unable to retain the title, but still managed to win a bronze (in Haarlem, 1988) and a silver medal (in Heerlen, 1989).