Tonny Monari

Antoinette "Tonny" Monari-Wittink (born February 1942) is a former Dutch and French long track speed skater, who was active in the 1960s.[1]

Wittink did a teacher education ( Mo-lerarenopleiding) and was teacher physical education in the Netherland. As a Dutch speed skater she competed at the 1962 Dutch Allround Championships where she finished 12th. She trained at the Jaap Edenbaan in Amsterdam. She was part of selection group of riders who wouldn't become notable, but also trained with for example Carry Geyssen.[2] She could also race in a competition of the Dutch national team (KNSB-Kernploeg).[3] She continued competing until 1966 in the Netherlands.

In September 1968 she married a Frenchman and emigrated to northern France. She got in contact with the French speed skating association; not aiming to become a French speed skater, but to become a trainer. She wanted to assist as the level of speed skating was low at the time. It turned out different, she was invited for an internship ahead of the French nationals. She accepted and started skating again, as a French women under the name Tonny Monari.[2]

She won, unsuspectetly, the bronze medal at the 1969 French Allround Championships. Due to this result she became part of the French national team. While living in northern France, she trained in Grenoble, at the only 400m speed skating rink in France. Due to the costs of the ice rink, it was frozen only for one hour per day in the late afternoon. During the day some students trained on the ice while the cooling systems were off. Monari was selected to represent France at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women in 1969. She finishing 28th overall.[4][5][1] As she couldn't get with her Dutch teacher diploma work in France, she hoped her participation at the World Championship would help to become a trainer in France.[6]