The Dutch women’s speed skating team has successfully advanced to the semifinals of the Olympic team pursuit event, securing the third-fastest time in the quarterfinals.
According to NOS, the team consisting of Joy Beune, Marijke Groenewoud, and Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong completed the quarterfinal race in 2 minutes and 55.65 seconds. This performance placed them third among the day’s competitors, ensuring their spot in the semifinals, which are scheduled for Tuesday alongside the final. The four fastest countries—Netherlands, Canada, Japan, and the United States—have qualified for this stage.
The Dutch team, reigning world champions, will face a challenging race in the semifinals against Japan, the current world record holder. During their first race against Kazakhstan, the Dutch team encountered a near-mishap when Beune and Rijpma-de Jong’s skates collided, but they maintained their pace and finished strongly. Although Canada and Japan managed to better the Dutch time—Canada by half a second and Japan by 0.13 seconds—the United States lagged nearly three seconds behind.
In the upcoming semifinals and final, direct competition rather than timing will determine progression, with the emphasis on defeating the opponent in each race. The Dutch women’s team, supported by reserve skater Bente Kerkhoff, traveled to Milan as strong contenders for the gold medal. It is worth noting that the Netherlands last won gold in this event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Meanwhile, the men’s team pursuit lineup remains under discussion following recent controversies. After the Olympic qualification tournament and remarks by skater Stijn van de Bunt regarding uncertainty about the team composition, coach Rintje Ritsma has reiterated his decisions, including reserving Jorrit Bergsma for potential use in the semifinals. The men’s quarterfinal lineup on Sunday includes Chris Huizinga, Van de Bunt, and Marcel Bosker. Both men’s and women’s team pursuit semifinal and final races are set for Tuesday. Additionally, there will be a men’s 500-meter race later Sunday featuring skater Jenning de Boo in direct competition with Jordan Stolz.
