Thousands of fans dressed in orange showed enthusiastic support at the Milan speed skating event where Kok competed, creating a memorable atmosphere that energized the athlete.
Schaatsen.nl, a Dutch sports news outlet, reported on the event and Kok’s reflections on the strong crowd presence.
Among the spectators were well-known football players Stefan de Vrij and Denzel Dumfries, as well as King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, all gathered to witness the spectacle. Kok expressed her gratitude for the crowd’s energy, stating that the loud support made it difficult to hear her skates on the ice. She described the experience as different from competitions held at Thialf, emphasizing how special it was that supporters traveled specifically to Milan to cheer on the athletes.
Kok is scheduled to compete again on Sunday, focusing on her preferred 500-meter event where she aims to compete for gold. Her recent performance, particularly an impressive last lap time of 28.6 seconds on the 1500-meter, was a personal best for European competition and boosted her confidence. Despite mixed emotions following the recent race, she remains motivated to perform well in her remaining distances, believing her moment of peak performance is yet to come.
