A Spanish speed skater who earned a single point in the 1000 meter event has secured a place at the upcoming Winter Olympics, thanks to his teammate’s qualification performances.
Schaatsen.nl, a Dutch skating news outlet, reported on the selection process and athletes’ reactions.
Daniel Llop secured two quota places for Spain by finishing 24th in the 500 meter and 27th in the 1000 meter events. Following this, the national skating federation awarded one of the spots to his compatriot Milagros to encourage the development of emerging talent in Spanish speed skating. The decision gave Milagros the opportunity to compete at the Winter Games despite having earned only one point in the 1000 meter event.
In the Netherlands, the Olympic qualification process has sparked significant debate. Joy Beune expressed deep disappointment after narrowly missing qualification for the 1500 meter race, while Tim Prins was frustrated by his exclusion from the team due to sacrifices made for the team pursuit selection. Llop, however, expressed pride and joy in securing both spots for Spain and valued sharing this Olympic experience with his teammate. He described their close relationship, mentioning that he knows Milagros as well as family and that they share a common dream.
For Llop, qualifying for the Olympics represented a major personal victory. At nineteen, he missed the chance to compete in the 2022 Beijing Winter Games after being disqualified in a World Cup event for knocking off a block, which prevented his Olympic debut. Reflecting on the past four years of training, he expressed hope that his race on February 14, the date of the 500 meter event, will be his best performance.
