Joy Beune, the reigning world champion in the 1500 meters, failed to qualify for the Olympic Games in her signature distance after finishing fourth at the qualification tournament, resulting in a deeply emotional moment for the 26-year-old skater.
NOS, a Dutch news outlet, reports on Beune’s emotional reaction and reflections following the Olympic qualification tournament in Wolvega.
Beune was visibly upset in the hotel lobby after the event, expressing that she still found herself closer to tears than smiles the day after the race. During the 1500 meter race, her zipper caused a moment of distraction as she tried to adjust it, which led to a loss of balance and an almost fall. This incident caused her to expend unnecessary energy and eventually finish in fourth place, just missing out on Olympic qualification for that distance.
The skater expressed great disappointment, saying she had hoped to compete in what she considers her home distance at the Olympics after being unbeaten in consecutive World Cup races this year and also last year over 1500 meters. She described her feeling as a ‘broken heart’ and a dream that will not be realized, acknowledging difficulty in coming to terms with the outcome.
While there might have been potential for an assigned spot despite not qualifying directly, Beune refrained from speculating and took full responsibility for her performance, emphasizing the mental challenge of processing what she could have done differently. Despite the setback on the 1500 meters, she plans to compete later in the day on the five-kilometer race at the Staatsloterij Olympic Qualification Tournament, aiming to perform well and demonstrate her capabilities despite the emotional toll.
