Career
He competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics in the 400 m event, but failed to reach the final. In 1968 Heerenveen moved from Curaçao to the Netherlands to study at the Technical College in Zwolle. He then played volleyball and some baseball.
While studying in the Netherlands Heerenveen married a Dutch woman and consequently was granted permission to remain in the country until 1975.
In 1971 he started training in athletics and ran 100 m in 10.9 son Already by 1973 he was selected for the 60 m event at the European Championships.
The same year, he was part of the Dutch 4 × 400 m relay team that finished fifth at the European Championships. After leaving the Netherlands in 1975, Heerenveen competed for the Netherlands Antilles at the 1976 Summer Olympics and 1975 Pan American Games, where he finished seventh in the 200 m.
He planned to compete for the Netherlands at the 1980 Summer Olympics, and was selected for the national 4 × 400 m relay team, but had to withdraw due to the rule set by the International Olympic Committee.
The rule stated that an athlete may not compete for two different countries in the consecutive Games. Foreign the next 16 years he worked as electrical engineer in the Netherlands.