Former Olympic speed skater Leenstra has taken on a key organizational role at the test event for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, providing support to current athletes as part of the event’s Athlete Service team.
This information was reported by Schaatsen.nl, a Dutch speed skating news outlet, in an article written by former short track skater Margriet de Schutter.
For many athletes who have retired from competitive speed skating, the sport remains an important part of life in the background. In Leenstra’s case, her involvement in the sport unexpectedly grew this year into a significant role within the organizational team of the Olympic test event for Milan-Cortina 2026. She will continue her engagement during the Olympic Games themselves, not as a competitor but as an Athlete Service Coordinator, assisting the next generation of athletes with logistical and personal support.
Since 2020, Leenstra has been living in Baselga di Pinè, Italy, with her husband Matteo Anesi, who is also an Olympic champion in team pursuit speed skating. They have two children. Outside the world of speed skating, Leenstra works as a programmer specializing in satellite data related to environmental and natural risk assessments. She mentions that her weekdays usually involve hours in front of a computer, but during the test event, she has been actively present at the ice rink, resolving issues and managing unforeseen challenges. She describes the experience as fantastic despite the demands it presents.
At the core of her responsibilities during the Milan event is providing support and assistance directly to athletes. She answers questions and steps in wherever needed, sometimes addressing unexpected emergencies. For instance, only ten days before the article was published, she dealt with a difficult situation involving an Indian skater whose luggage, including his skate blades, was lost after multiple connecting flights. Without a team leader accompanying him, he appeared lost and vulnerable at the venue. Leenstra took initiative by communicating with the airport and coordinating a search for replacement skates. With the help of Olympic champion and TalentNED coach Stefano Donagrandi, she was able to secure a spare pair, enabling the skater to compete. Leenstra credits her fluency in Italian as a helpful asset in smoothly managing such situations.
