Jutta Leerdam has announced that she will not participate in the World Sprint Championships, effectively ending her season.
NOS Schaatsen, a Dutch news outlet, reported on Leerdam’s decision via her social media announcement.
Leerdam, 27, shared a message on social media expressing satisfaction with her recent achievements, stating that becoming Olympic champion has fulfilled her dream. She won gold in the 1,000 meters and silver in the 500 meters at the Winter Olympics in Milan, finishing behind teammate Femke Kok in the latter event. However, her plans for the upcoming season remain uncertain, as she has not provided clarity about whether she will return to compete next winter.
Initially, Leerdam and Kok had been granted automatic qualification by the Dutch skating federation (KNSB) for the World Sprint Championships scheduled from March 5 to 8. This exemption meant they did not have to compete in the national sprint championships, which serve as qualifiers for the world event. With Leerdam withdrawing, it is expected that two qualification spots will be available at the national sprint championships for those who choose to compete.
In related news, Kjeld Nuis, who was not granted direct selection for the World Sprint Championships, announced on Wednesday that he will skip the national sprint championships and concluded his season.
