Kaj Schulting secured a notable second place finish in the women’s 1000 meter event at Thialf, recording a time of 1:14.71 and positioning herself well in the selection rankings for the upcoming Winter Olympics.
According to Schaatsen.nl, a Dutch sports news outlet, Schulting’s performance placed her seventh in the Olympic selection matrix, a significant achievement considering the competitive field. She expressed a mix of relief and joy after the race, describing her effort as the best since she began long track speed skating approximately eighteen months ago.
Schulting highlighted her strong start and consistent pacing during the first eighty hundred meters of the race. Although she felt the final lap could have been improved, the performance exceeded her expectations and boosted her confidence. Reflecting on the race, she noted the aggressive approaches of other skaters, yet emphasized how her own strong opening lap was a key factor in her success.
She also contrasted her recent achievement with a less successful outing two weeks earlier at the Vikingskip, where she finished eighteenth out of twenty with a time of 1:16. That race underscored the need for rest, which she has since incorporated alongside her regular training in Heerenveen. Schulting looks forward to competing in the second event of the Olympic qualification tournament, the 500 meter, scheduled for Sunday, while taking time to appreciate her current progress and recover from the effort.
