The Dutch made their winter Olympics debut at St. Moritz 1928, and has sent a delegation to every winter Olympic game with the exception of Lake Placid 1932. A total of 86 medals were won by the Dutch in the winter games, including 29 gold medals.
Three Dutch athletes have won three gold medals in the winter games, including Ard Schenk (pictured), who in the early '70s, was the most successful speed skater in the world. Schenk had an eventful Sapporo 1972, where he won three gold medals in the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m events. Yvonne van Gennip followed Schenk's success from Sapporo with three gold medal finals runs at Calgary 1988. van Gennip won those three gold medals in the 1500m, 3000m and 5000m events. But that's not all! Marianne Timmer, another speed skater, won three gold medals as well. She won twice in the 1000m at Nagano 1998 and at Turin 2006, and in the 1500m, also at Nagano. What does Schenk, van Gennip and Timmer have in common? They are tied for the most gold medals ever won by a Dutch athlete in the winter Olympics.
Ireen Wust (pictured) is the most recent of the Dutch contingent to win gold twice in the winter games. She won the 3000m at Turin 2006 and followed up at Vancouver 2010 in the 1500m final. Gianni Romme, another speed skater, won gold twice in the winter games as well, by winning the 5000m and 10,000m at Nagano 1998. And another speed skater, Jochem Uytdehaage, won twice in the winter games, as his wins came in the 5000m and 10,000m finals at Salt Lake City 2002. Some testaments that the Dutch are a speed skating power.
Speaking of speed skating, the Dutch will send more speed skaters, even some on the short track as well.
Up next: New Zealand
No comments:
Post a Comment