Several top speed skaters, including Kerkhoff and Merel Conijn, are set to compete in the upcoming heats of the Olympic event, with notable matchups drawing attention ahead of the races.
Schaatsen.nl, based in the Netherlands, provides detailed information on the race schedule and competing athletes.
Kerkhoff, who finished second in the Olympic Qualification Tournament and is also scheduled to compete in the mass start event, will race in heat two against Marina Zueva, a Belarusian athlete competing under a neutral flag. Merel Conijn, the reigning Dutch champion and winner of the Olympic Qualification Tournament, represents the Netherlands and holds a strong chance of winning a medal. However, she finished ninth in the three-kilometer event, which was considered disappointing. In heat four, Conijn will face Sandrine Tas from Belgium. Heat five features Norwegian Ragne Wiklund against Canadian Isabelle Weidemann. Wiklund already earned a silver medal in the three-kilometer race earlier in these Games.
The final heat will see Francesca Lollobrigida competing against Martina Sablikova. Lollobrigida, the reigning world champion in this distance, unexpectedly won gold in the three-kilometer event a few days ago. Sablikova, who won Olympic gold at the 5,000 meters in 2010 and 2014, had to withdraw from the three-kilometer race recently due to illness but was cleared by doctors to start this race. Although Sablikova is not in top form and does not expect to contend for a medal in what will be her last Olympic race, her participation remains significant. The complete start list for the heats is available through the official channels.
