The Dutch speed skating team has advanced to the semifinals of the Olympic team pursuit event, joining Italy, the United States, and China.
According to NOS, in the quarterfinals, Dutch skaters Chris Huizinga, Stijn van de Bunt, and Marcel Bosker recorded the fourth-fastest time of the day, securing their place among the top four teams. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for Tuesday, where only head-to-head results will determine advancement, rather than timed results.
The Dutch men’s team is set to face Italy in the semifinals. The women’s team, having already qualified with the third-best time, will compete against Japan. The Dutch team selection process saw some debate leading up to the event, especially following coach Rintje Ritsma’s decision to include Bosker over Tim Prins and the benching of Jorrit Bergsma during the quarterfinals. Coach Ritsma rationalized these choices by emphasizing team dynamics and the need to rest key athletes for later rounds.
While the Dutch men’s team remains competitive, they have yet to reclaim the Olympic gold, which they last won in 2014. They have earned bronze medals three times since then in this discipline. Notably, the United States, currently the reigning world champions and world record holders who won all World Cup races this season, did not clock the fastest time in their quarterfinal and were defeated by Italy.
After the team pursuit competition on Tuesday, the event will continue with the women’s 500 meter races featuring Dutch skaters Femke Kok, Jutta Leerdam, and Anna Boersma.
