The Dutch speed skating qualification tournament concluded with many athletes knowing their status for the upcoming February event in Milan, but the Royal Dutch Skating Federation (KNSB) still holds decisions on several designated team spots.
NOS, a major news outlet in the Netherlands, reports on the latest developments following the Olympic qualification event.
The final qualification matrix for men and women speed skaters is complete, but the KNSB selection committee retains discretionary authority to assign up to three designated spots per gender. These decisions must be finalized by January 4. The committee’s choices involve weighing performances and strategic considerations for the mass start events and individual distances.
For the men’s and women’s mass start races, key athletes are expected to be nominated based on consistent results and tactical expertise. Among men, Jorrit Bergsma and Chris Huizinga are likely candidates shown to have strong mass start skills. For women, Marijke Groenewoud, the Dutch champion at this distance, and Bente Kerkhoff—both recent mass start World Cup winners—are expected picks.
One contentious issue involves Joy Beune, the world champion and multiple World Cup winner at 1500 meters, who failed to qualify directly due to a critical mistake during the qualification tournament. Analysts suggest the committee may uphold the qualification results, leaving Beune off the designated list since others—Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong, Groenewoud, and Femke Kok—have also performed strongly at this distance.
Jutta Leerdam’s status for the 1000 meters is also under consideration following a fall during competition. Since Naomi Verkerk, another contender ranked third in the qualification matrix, did not secure a spot automatically, the most straightforward approach may allow Leerdam to compete in the 1000 meters as well, given her qualification in the 500 meters.
The men’s team pursuit selection adds further complexity. Tim Prins narrowly missed qualifying in one distance but placed third in 1500 meters, which would generally secure a spot. However, the composition of the pursuit team, which may include Stijn van de Bunt, Chris Huizinga, and either Jorrit Bergsma or Marcel Bosker, influences whether Prins can be included on the Olympic roster. Some experts question the merit of assigning a designated place for the pursuit team, citing insufficient competitiveness in this event and the possibility of excluding riders like Bosker or Prins as a result.
Should Prins be omitted due to pursuit team considerations, Kjeld Nuis—already qualified in the 1000 meters and an Olympic champion twice over at 1500 meters—would likely take his place. The potential exclusion represents a significant setback for Prins according to commentators.
