“Only beautiful memories.” The disbelief can still be seen on the face of figure fighter Lindsay van Zundert from Etten-Leur when she thinks back to the Winter Olympics at the beginning of this year in Beijing. But whether there will be an Olympic sequel is still very much the question. “I hope I can make it to Milan 2026, but I don’t know if I can keep it up without sponsors.”
The just 17-year-old Van Zundert graced her performance in China last February with a beautiful eighteenth place. Although no medal, as Sjoukje Dijkstra (Olympic champion in 1964) and Dianne de Leeuw did return home with precious metal in the distant past, but enough to receive invitations for two prestigious Grand Prix competitions.
“I was very happy with that,” says de Etten-Leurse, who was allowed to work in Canada and France. “There are only drivers from America, Japan, Korea. So the big countries. And I was in between. That was very special.”
“I’m actually in a money crisis. We’re really close to the edge.”
It marks her growing reputation in the international figure skating world. But in our own country there is very little to notice. “Financially it is almost impossible to afford,” notes Van Zundert. “I’m actually in a money crisis. We’re really close to the edge.”
The costs she encounters are considerable and range from coaches and travel, to dresses and of course the rent of an ice rink. Because she also has to cough up that in Breda, where she completes her training sessions. “Ice cream is very expensive. I just have to cut back on that now. While I need that ice to improve.”
She should not expect too much from the skating association. “It does help, but not really in large amounts. And I don’t like moving to Heerenveen, where the association has built a new sports center. Here I have everything I need. And my family too. I just want I haven’t left the house yet, although I would like to train there for a few days once a week or every two weeks.”
“If it really isn’t feasible anymore, I just have to stop.”
Also NOC*NSF, which at the beginning of this year could proudly point out the first Dutch figure skater at the Games in 46 years, is not the rescue. “I now receive a small amount. But because I have not yet ridden a top 12, I do not have an A status, so that amount is not that high.”
The Netherlands Figure Skating Foundation is helping out a lot. “It has meant a lot to me. But eventually her pot will also run out.”
And so her career threatens to hang by a thread. “Yes, quite well. If it is really no longer feasible, I just have to stop. My mother can’t afford it alone. So I hope that people or companies will sponsor me and help me.”