From a young age Thijs became infected with the hockey virus. Therefore, his debut in Jong Oranje in 2016 hardly came as a surprise. Nobody doubted his talent.  Stepping up his game, he started at the Dutch team in 2017.

Winning bronze at the European Championships in 2019 was only a warming up to winning the championship in 2021. He is now part of the Olympic selection, readying himself and his team for Paris 2024.

"Playing hockey demands a lot of my legs. Especially my lower legs. Thanks to STOX I can perform optimally throughout the entire game."