Career
He set the Dutch National Record of 14.165m in 1934 and increased this in increments that year up to 14.535m. In 1935, he became the first Dutchman to break the 15m mark, setting a record of 15.02m. By 1939, he had increased this to 15.51m a record that stood until 1986.
His 1942 mark of 48.575m stood as the national record until 1956.
De Bruyn died of cardiac arrest while watching the shot-put event on the last day of the Dutch National Championships held 26-28 July 1991 in Eindhoven.