Marieke van Soest was born and raised in Nijkerk, the third child in a family with four children.

In 2014, she fell into a coma at the University Medical Center Utrecht due to an aneurysm, when she was actually there because of an infection in her ankle.

She taught herself to move in the water with one arm and one leg, and she became Dutch champion in the individual medley in 2017 and 2018.

To do this, the Royal Dutch Cycling Union initially loaned her a tricycle, which was not suitable for international competitions.

[1] In March 2020, she received a bike specially built for her by frame builder Ben de Ruiter.