Irene Schouten shook the skating world to its foundations on Monday, just before leaving for the Netherlands. One of the best Dutch skaters ever has given up.
Completely unexpectedly, she announced her retirement from top-level sport the day after an excellent World Distance Championships in Calgary. “It won’t get any better for me,” the gold-clad Schouten declared just before she boarded the KLM plane to Schiphol.
Schouten (31) was on the verge of making history last weekend by becoming the first skater (male/female) to win four world titles at a World Championship distances. Even phenomena such as Sven Kramer, Gunda Niemann, Anni Friesinger and Ireen Wüst could not achieve this in their illustrious careers. The leader of Albert Heijn Zaanlander, like her predecessors, was stuck at three because Joy Beune put her on her back in the 5000 meters. Schouten was left disappointed with silver, after she had become world champion that week earlier in the 3000 meters, the team pursuit and the mass start.
Living legend
Schouten won everything there was to win during her career. The highlight was the Olympic Games two years ago in Beijing. There she sold gold: no less than three times, just like living legend Yvonne van Gennip did to her in 1988.
A month ago she informed her coaches Jillert Anema and Arjan Samplonius from AH Zaanlander that she wanted to quit. “I won what I wanted to win,” Schouten explained that tough decision to NOS. “Three gold medals at the Games, world titles in the 3 and 5 kilometers, the mass start and the team pursuit. And the World Allround Championships. It won’t be better than the previous Games. That makes it good for me.”
Mental breakdown
Last week, after her first world title of the World Championship distances, she already announced that it is becoming increasingly difficult for her to live like a zombie. This became apparent this time last year when she suffered a mental breakdown. She achieved this just before the 2023 World Championships in Thialf, where she became world champion in the 5000 meters. But last week in Calgary she said that the pressure to win gold again and again was becoming increasingly difficult for her. For that reason, Schouten already skipped World Cup matches this season, she could live with defeats and she decided to only restore her old-fashioned, ruthless focus when a World Cup presented itself, such as last week in Canada.
Most of all, she longed for home, she hinted. “I’m just very busy with my own life, with my own friends and family. Jordan Stolz? He sometimes joins us, but I don’t actually know him at all. When I’m done skating, I go home. I can no longer fully enjoy things besides skating. When I’m with friends, I make sure I go to bed on time or I don’t just visit someone with the chance of getting sick.”
She drove like a man
It is sometimes said of her skating coach Jillert Anema that his approach is not suitable for women. The stubborn Frisian only thinks one thing: winning, whenever and however possible. He does not always convey that wish tactically. Perhaps that is why Schouten has become so good. She drove like a man. And exactly as Anema wanted: ruthless, at a killer pace, ruthless, with a hunger for success that never seems to be satisfied. The two seemed born for each other.
Winning also became Schouten’s second nature. For example, as a marathon skater (eight times national champion), it came so easily to her that it even started to get a bit boring. For that reason she wanted to participate in a men’s competition, she said in 2021: “That idea has been in my head for a while. I would love to do that someday.”
Elfstedentocht
Schouten would also have preferred to ride an Elfstedentocht, but that is no longer going to happen. Her last race was probably Sunday in Canada. She is actually not looking forward to this weekend’s National All-round Championships in Thialf. “Normally I suffer a lot from the jet lag back to the Netherlands,” says Schouten.
In other words, the Netherlands unexpectedly waved goodbye to a great champion. Schouten: “Deep in my heart I just long for other things. I no longer have the dream for another Olympic Games.”