Stijn van de Bunt emerged as a standout competitor at the Olympic Qualification Tournament, winning the 10,000 meter race with a commanding performance following his 5,000 meter appearance.
According to Schaatsen.nl, Van de Bunt, representing Team IKO X2O, will compete in the second heat against his teammate and birthday celebrant Bart Swings. Jorrit Bergsma, the runner-up of the qualification event, is scheduled to race against Ted-Jan Bloemen in the fourth heat.
Van de Bunt reflected on his Olympic debut in the 5,000 meters with mixed feelings, noting that he had deliberately focused his training on the 10,000 meters and accepted some risk during preparation. Despite finishing ninth with a time of 6:12.94, he remained pragmatic and acknowledged that the difference in his Olympic performance compared to his strong qualification races was related to his race strategy. He emphasized the value of the experience gained, stating, “The first step is done.”
The event’s strongest contenders for Olympic medals are expected to compete in the final two heats. Metodej Jílek will face Casey Dawson in heat five, while the defending Olympic champion of the 5,000 meters, Sander Eitrem, will compete against French skater Timothy Loubineaud in the last heat.
Nils van der Poel of Sweden was the reigning Olympic champion in the 10,000 meters, having won gold at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing with a world record time of 12:30.74. He finished well ahead of Patrick Roest (silver) and Davide Ghiotto (bronze). The current world champion from Italy, who placed fourth in the 5,000 meters, aims to secure an Olympic medal in the 10,000 meters, as he did four years ago. He will skate in the third heat.
The complete Olympic long track speed skating schedule, including heat assignments, results, and commentary lists, is available on the event’s program page.
