Favorite Leerdam down and unexpected Olympic starting ticket for Schulting: ‘This is just not necessary’

It took twenty minutes before the Olympic qualifying tournament (OKT) for the Dutch long track skaters in Thialf really started. The public had arrived home on Friday after Christmas breakfast, the Zambonis had completed their laps in the dark, and the first skaters had shot away without any problems – apart from a few nervous false starts.

Then it was time for stage eight of the 1,000 meters for women. The top talent Angel Daleman against the obvious favorite for an Olympic ticket: Jutta Leerdam. She won Olympic silver in Beijing four years ago, is a two-time world champion and Dutch record holder, and has already won two World Cup victories at this distance this season.

Leerdam started at lightning speed, her opening time of 17.6 seconds was one of her best openings on the lowland ice in Heerenveen. When she exited the first bend she was already far past Daleman. And then she made a turn into the second inside bend, lost her balance and fell.

At high speed, Leerdam slid into the inflated boarding with a crash, a curse escaping from her mouth. She stood up, unzipped her suit, took off her glasses; There was now no point in continuing to skate, her 1,000 meters were lost.

Sprint barefoot

“It looked like there was something on the ice, or that I had something on my skate, because I just completely slipped away,” said a tearful Leerdam afterwards. “This is simply not necessary. When I look at what the other girls ride, no disrespect to them, but I could have easily ridden that today.”

It was no surprise that the 1,000 meters was won by Femke Kok in a time of 1.14.08. Kok and Leerdam have been dueling for international victories all season, together they finished no lower than fourth place in World Cup competitions. “This is such a relief,” sighed Kok after she had laid down the flowers for her Olympic qualification. The tension and stress was up to her head beforehand, she admitted. “My life really went on until today, I thought this 1,000 meters was that important. From now on I can look further.”

It was quite a stunt that due to the fall of Leerdam, second place – and second direct qualification for Milan – became available and fell into the hands of Suzanne Schulting (1.14.71). Barefoot, the Olympic short track champion sprinted across the center court to her coach Jac Orie to celebrate the fact that she can now also go to the Games as a long track skater.

Zoom in

“I didn’t expect this,” said a broadly grinning Schulting afterwards. “I have of course had a very bad season so far.” Schulting disappointed at the NK distances at the beginning of the season and was therefore not allowed to participate in international competitions for a long time in the run-up to the OKT. “This just proves that everything you have done in the past is no guarantee for the future, either in a good or bad sense.”

Schulting also talked about the pressure, tension and stress that come with the OKT, a tournament that Dutch skaters hate because there is nothing to win, but everything to lose. “I am someone who thrives on the excitement and grandeur of such a tournament,” said the woman who won three gold Olympic short track medals. “Then I can always give something extra.”

Leerdam denied that the pressure of the moment had played a role. “When I came here, I was really looking forward to it, I felt that good.” She almost never falls, she said. “This was the most annoying moment when it happened.”

Emergencies

Just before the fall of Leerdam, technical director Remy de Wit of the KNSB skating association was still laughing in the stands. A moment later that smile was exchanged for a serious look. Because it is a slide with potentially major consequences for the rest of the OKT.

Leerdam has no chance of starting in the Olympic 1,000 meters in Milan. In the event of an emergency, the KNSB selection procedure provides scope for the skating association to award skaters an Olympic starting ticket – at the expense of someone else.

Leerdam agreed that her fate was now in the hands of others, she despised the idea. “I find that annoying, because I just want to have it in my own hands. Now I hope they appoint me, because I think I really belong at the Games in the 1,000 meters.”

She received support from her competitor Kok. “I immediately thought: she will get a designation. And I think that will happen. She has been among the top in recent years.” That would be at the expense of Naomi Verkerk, who finished third in the 1,000 meters. A KNSB committee will consider this after the OKT, which lasts until next Tuesday, and must then decide whether Leerdam has a better chance of Olympic success than Verkerk.

Until then, Leerdam is in the waiting room and focusing on the 500 meters, which is scheduled for Sunday and for which she also has a chance to qualify. “I’m just going to go for it and give it my all this weekend. But I don’t know what the condition of my skates is, what the condition of my body is. This is just not a good start.”

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