Ireen Wüst has been appointed chef de mission of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles by sports umbrella organization NOC*NSF. If the collaboration is successful, the Goirlese skating icon will also hold this position during the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps.
The 40-year-old former skater takes over in Los Angeles from Pieter van den Hoogenband, who recently had to leave NOC*NSF. In the Alps she may follow in the footsteps of Carl Verheijen.
Wüst is the first woman to become chef de mission of able-bodied athletes. Paralympic teams have previously had a woman as chef de mission with Esther Vergeer and Thea Limbach.
Gold medal for Wüst at five Winter Games
With six gold, five silver and two bronze medals, Wüst is the most decorated Olympian in Dutch history and is also the only athlete in the world to have won a gold medal at five different Winter Games.
The Goirlese honors list also includes thirteen world titles at an individual distance and seven world and five European all-round titles.
Expert performance behavior and mental health
Since April 2023, Wüst has been employed by NOC*NSF as an expert on performance behavior and mental health. In this capacity, she guides athletes who are preparing for a career in top sports through the training programs of TeamNL centers. She is also a lifestyle coach at Topsport Noord, one of the regional top sports centers in the Netherlands.