Joep Wennemars is striving to qualify for the 1,000 meters event at the upcoming Winter Olympics, following in the footsteps of his father, Erben Wennemars, who participated in three Olympic Games during his career.
NOS Schaatsen, a Dutch news outlet, reports on the developments in Joep Wennemars’ journey toward the Olympic Games.
At 23 years old, Joep is currently competing at the Olympic Qualification Tournament (OKT) and recently recorded his personal best time in Thialf on the 500 meters with a time of 34.48 seconds. This achievement placed him third in that distance at the event and earned him a provisional position in the qualification matrix. His father Erben, who won two bronze medals in Turin 2006, was visibly proud, celebrating from the stands.
Despite this promising start, Joep’s qualification is not yet guaranteed as the 500 meters result ranks relatively low, meaning he must perform strongly in the 1,000 meters to secure a spot for the Olympics. Joep is focused on running a solid race and acknowledges the high level of competition he faces.
The Wennemars family does not emphasize the Olympics as the ultimate goal in daily conversations. Erben explained that becoming a world champion is valued more highly within their family discussions. Still, he expressed hope that his son will continue to progress in his skating career and recognized that he cannot directly influence Joep’s path because current circumstances differ from when he competed.
Erben encourages Joep to rely on his own skills and preparations rather than external influence. He trusts his son completely and feels no nerves about the upcoming races, confident that Joep is healthy and ready to perform at his best.
Should Joep not qualify, Erben stresses that his unconditional support remains unchanged. He has taught his son that a career in high-level sports involves many disappointments along with moments of success, and that experiencing setbacks is part of the journey.
Joep himself hopes that the 2026 Winter Olympics will become a more prominent topic in the family if he achieves victory there, slightly teasing that his father has yet to win a gold medal at the Games.
