The Dutch Olympic speed skating team has been finalized with 18 members, excluding Tim Prins despite his strong qualifying performance, while Kjeld Nuis will compete in the 1500 meter event after initially missing a spot.
NOS Schaatsen, Netherlands, reports on the final selection of the Dutch Olympic speed skating team for the Milan Olympic Games.
The Royal Dutch Skating Federation (KNSB) announced its final squad of 18 speed skaters, excluding Tim Prins despite his qualification as one of the top three men in the 1500 meter and meeting the Olympic criteria. Instead, Marcel Bosker was selected in Prins’s place, largely due to Bosker’s anticipated role in the team pursuit event. The team includes a maximum of nine male skaters, with the Dutch able to field three competitors per distance except on the longest distances where only two may compete.
Because Prins was the third man qualified for the 1500 meters but did not make the overall Olympic squad, the available start spot was reassigned to Kjeld Nuis, who had earlier qualified for the 1000 meters but initially missed out on the 1500 meters, his specialty. The team pursuit for men will feature Bosker, Chris Huizinga, and Stijn van de Bunt. The KNSB’s technical director, Remy de Wit, emphasized that selection was based on comprehensive performance data indicating that Bosker’s inclusion in the team pursuit increases the chances for a medal more than having a third competitor in the 1500 meter event.
De Wit noted the disappointment for Prins, acknowledging how unfortunate the decision was for him, but highlighted the team’s recent strong world cup results in the team pursuit, where they finished second overall and achieved podium finishes twice this season. These successes contributed to the Netherlands being allowed to send nine male skaters rather than seven.
The women’s team pursuit squad will include Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong, Marijke Groenewoud, and Joy Beune. For the mass start events, Jorrit Bergsma was selected alongside van de Bunt for the men, and Groenewoud with Bente Kerkhoff for the women. Bergsma’s nomination on the mass start also guarantees him a spot in the 10,000 meter race, in which he was the runner-up. Bosker’s role in the team pursuit also means he will compete in the 5000 meters, where he placed third.
There were fewer surprises in the women’s overall selection. Jutta Leerdam was officially named for the 1000 meter event despite falling during the Olympic qualification tournament, as her dominance in international competition over the past two years supports her status as a strong medal contender. Joy Beune, who is world champion but did not secure qualification in the 1500 meters, applied to be selected for that distance but was not granted a spot, due to the high level of competition and because the three skaters who placed top three at the qualification tournament are also strong medal candidates according to the KNSB.
