For the first time in 34 years, the Netherlands ended the second day of the Winter Olympics without winning a medal.
NOS Schaatsen, a Dutch news outlet, reports on the Dutch team’s performance and prospects at the Milan Winter Games.
On Sunday, Dutch athletes did not secure any medals in the 3,000 meter and 5,000 meter speed skating events, and snowboarder Michelle Dekker also did not reach the podium. Although this marks a rare medal drought, there is broad consensus among experts and observers that the Netherlands is expected to return to medal-winning form soon, particularly in the women’s 1,000 meter long track speed skating scheduled for Monday.
Former speed skater and analyst Mark Tuitert expressed confidence in the Dutch athletes, noting that Jutta Leerdam is in excellent condition, while Femke Kok and Suzanne Schulting are also showing strong performances. He suggested that despite the current setback, the upcoming events may bring success to the Dutch team.
Erben Wennemars, also a former sprinter and analyst, reflected on the results, calling the lack of a medal in the 5,000 meter event a hard but expected reality. He was particularly surprised by the absence of a medal in the women’s 3,000 meter, an event where the Netherlands had traditionally been dominant. Both Tuitert and Wennemars pointed out that performances by Marijke Groenewoud and Merel Conijn fell short of expectations, which was concerning given their season’s earlier peaks.
Tuitert emphasized the psychological challenge the team faces having started the tournament without medals. He noted the importance of athletes bouncing back from disappointment, citing Sander Eitrem’s gold medal in the men’s 5,000 meters as an example of form confidence. The upcoming team pursuit events offer another chance for these athletes to recover and aim for gold.
In contrast, Norway, coached by Dutch-born Bjarne Rykkje, began the tournament successfully with Ragne Wiklund winning silver in the 3,000 meters and Eitrem capturing gold. Rykkje suggested that the Dutch athletes would not dwell on the current results but focus on their own performances moving forward.
Jac Orie, Essent coach for the Dutch team, confirmed that the team is actively working to improve their mindset and performance. Analysts anticipate that the sprint events, which will feature Dutch athletes prominently, could yield medals and restore momentum for the Netherlands. Wennemars and Tuitert both highlighted the growing importance of sprint distances in Dutch speed skating and expressed optimism for the coming competitions.
