Jillert Anema praised Bergsma’s recent bronze medal performance in Milan and shared his thoughts on the upcoming 500 meter race.
schaatsen.nl, a Dutch sports outlet, reported on Anema’s commentary regarding the competition.
Anema expressed admiration for Bergsma’s achievement despite his age, describing it as a commendable performance that earned deep respect. He also highlighted the strong presence of athletes from Friesland, appreciating the contributions from that region and specifically mentioning the training group known as the Matties. Anema praised the thorough analysis provided during the event, emphasizing its quality.
Looking ahead to the 500 meter race, he discussed the importance of a strong opening, noting that skaters like Jenning and Stolz have demonstrated fast starts. While observing Stolz’s acceleration, Anema suggested that there is still room for improvement in how Stolz builds speed, but he acknowledged that his recent performances indicated promising potential. He cited De Boo’s ability to reach 61 km/h during the 1000 meter as an impressive sign for the upcoming sprint.
Inspired by Bergsma’s success, Anema expressed optimism that De Boo would outperform Stolz by a narrow margin, predicting a gold for De Boo, silver for Stolz, and bronze for Zurek. Although acknowledging this forecast may be hopeful, he emphasized the role of dreams in sports.
Finally, Anema reflected on a notable technique from the 1984 Winter Olympics, referencing Sergey Fokichev’s remarkable inside corner. He suggested that Jenning might replicate a similar distinctive move in the upcoming races which could be remembered in skating history, dubbing it a “new Fokichev” style. Anema concluded by emphasizing the expectation for De Boo to adopt this daring technique.
