It’s over for Irene Schouten. Yesterday, the skater from Hoogkarspel won the final of the Marathon Cup in the bunch sprint. It was her last victory as a top athlete. Schouten announced two weeks ago, quite unexpectedly, that she was quitting. That decision made a lot of noise, she said: “There were people standing in front of my door crying.”
Schouten’s victory in Leeuwarden was her 59th marathon victory ever. This puts her in third place of all time.
Because she also has to train, the 31-year-old Olympic champion will occasionally use the irons next season. “I am quitting top sport, but I have agreed with my team that I still want to help my teammates next year.” Schouten’s ultimate dream is that she can ride the Elfstedentocht.