With veteran skaters Bart Swings turning 35 and Sandrine Tas shifting her focus to cycling, Belgian skating is actively seeking new talent to maintain its competitive presence.
Sporza, a Belgian news outlet, reports that the Belgian skating federation is looking to identify promising athletes, including those from other sports, to carry the sport forward.
Bart Swings recently celebrated his 35th birthday, marking a milestone in his long career, while Sandrine Tas plans to concentrate on her cycling career after the current Winter Olympic Games. Their impending departures from top-level skating emphasize the need for new leaders within Belgian speed skating. Hessel Evertse, the technical director of high performance at the Vlaamse Schaatsunie, is tasked with scouting talent for the future of the sport. He mentioned upcoming athletes like Jason Suttels, who faced a recent setback due to a broken ankle but is expected to recover, as well as the search for other high-potential athletes, potentially from disciplines such as cycling.
Evertse highlighted the interconnected nature of endurance sports, noting that many elite skaters cross-train on bicycles. This natural overlap could facilitate athletes like Tas balancing both sports, especially between summer and winter seasons. He expressed optimism about the combination and the opportunities it might present.
The official also hopes that the current Winter Olympics will inspire younger generations to pursue skating, not only in long track but also in short track disciplines. Evertse’s research shows that many top skaters have backgrounds in diverse sports such as ice hockey, inline skating, figure skating, and short track speed skating. This diversity suggests multiple pathways to elite success within skating.
Belgium has already secured a medal at these Games through the Belgian Ice Bears, and Evertse expects more strong performances. Hanne Desmet’s remaining events and Stijn Desmet’s participation are anticipated to be promising, alongside Swings’s efforts in the mass start competition. For the women’s mass start, the achievements of Sandrine Tas and rising competitor Fran Vanhoutte indicate a competitive future. The upcoming weekends of competition are expected to be engaging for followers of Belgian skating.
