Beau Snellink did not secure a spot for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan despite recently helping TeamNL qualify nine starting positions.
According to meemetoranje.nl, the 24-year-old speed skater competed in the 10,000 meter event on Sunday evening but finished ninth with a time of 13 minutes and 11.28 seconds, falling short of his own qualification for the Games. In the final pairing, Snellink raced against Jorrit Bergsma, who finished second behind Stijn van de Bunt.
Former top skater Marianne Timmer commented on Snellink’s performance during the “Dromen van Goud” podcast on Sportnieuws.nl, noting that Snellink appeared out of rhythm and was not in good form. She explained that competing against well-prepared competitors took a lot of extra energy from Snellink, leading to a difficult race. Timmer expressed sympathy for Snellink, emphasizing that the skater just barely secured the ninth spot for the Dutch team and will have to process this disappointment.
The current situation also impacts the team pursuit, where Snellink had been a regular member. Given his absence from the Olympics, Stijn van de Bunt has been considered as a replacement by national coach Rintje Ritsma. Timmer suggested that the challenge now lies in forming a cohesive team, potentially involving Marcel Bosker, Chris Huizinga, and Van de Bunt, with Bergsma as a reserve. She remains optimistic that with additional training, the team can perform well together.
