Gerard van Velde has fulfilled his long-standing ambition as a sprint speed skating coach following Femke Kok’s gold medal victory in the 500 meters at the Winter Olympics.
NOS, a Dutch news outlet, reports on Van Velde’s achievement at the Olympic Games.
Van Velde, a former speed skater, has been dedicated to proving that the Netherlands could excel in sprint events on the international stage. His journey began after narrowly missing out on a medal during the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville. Since then, Van Velde has spent more than thirty years working towards this objective.
His initial milestone was reached in 2014 when Michel Mulder, under Van Velde’s coaching, won Olympic gold in Sochi. The recent success with Kok marks the completion of his mission to demonstrate Dutch sprinting prowess. Van Velde emphasized the personal significance of this achievement, describing it as deeply meaningful compared to previous gold medals.
