Eleven Dutch speed skaters will make their Olympic debut at the upcoming Winter Games in Milan, representing one of the largest debutant groups in recent years.
Schaatsen.nl, a Netherlands-based news outlet, reports on the selection and composition of the Dutch long track speed skating team for the Milan Winter Olympics.
The team includes notable debutants such as Anna Boersma, Suzanne Schulting—who will make her Olympic long track debut—and several others including Joy Beune, Merel Conijn, Bente Kerkhoff, Jenning de Boo, Sebas Diniz, Joep Wennemars, Tijmen Snel, Stijn van de Bunt, and Chris Huizinga. Joep Wennemars distinguished himself by qualifying for three distances (500, 1000, and 1500 meters) in his first Olympic appearance, while Stijn van de Bunt will compete in four events, encompassing both long distance races and team events.
The number of debutants in Milan exceeds those who entered at recent Winter Olympics, with nine in 2022, eight in 2018, and eight in 2014. Among the returning athletes, Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong and Jorrit Bergsma bring significant experience, having competed in three prior Olympics. Kjeld Nuis will be attending his third games, while others such as Marcel Bosker, Femke Kok, Jutta Leerdam, and Marijke Groenewoud debuted in Beijing.
The average age of the Dutch long track contingent is 27 years. The youngest member, Stijn van de Bunt, is 21, while veteran Jorrit Bergsma will be nearing 40. Bergsma’s Olympic gold medal on the 10,000 meters dates back to 2014, when Van de Bunt was just nine years old.
Kjeld Nuis is the only skater aiming to defend an Olympic title in Milan, as the previous titleholder Tim Prins missed selection. Nuis will seek to secure his third gold medal in the 1500 meters, potentially adding to his total Olympic medal count. Other medalists such as Jutta Leerdam and Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong also return with hopes to improve on their previous silver and bronze medals, respectively. Additionally, reigning world champions Femke Kok, Joy Beune, Marijke Groenewoud, and the team pursuit group consisting of Beune, Groenewoud, and Rijpma-de Jong will compete with strong prospects.
The eighteen Dutch skaters represent six professional teams. Reggeborgh contributes the largest number with five athletes, including Kok, De Boo, Rijpma-de Jong, Nuis, and Bosker. Albert Heijn Zaanlander and Essent each have four representatives, while Team IKO-X2O fields three debutants. Anna Boersma and Jutta Leerdam will compete without teammates in Milan.
