These Dutchmen will be in action on Saturday 5 February:
Speed skating, 3,000 meters women: 09.30-10.51
With: Irene Schouten, Antoinette de Jong, Carlijn Achtereekte
Short track speed skating, 500 woman heats, 1000 man heats, mixed relay final: 12.00-14.34
With: Suzanne Schulting, Xandra Velzeboer, Selma Poutsma, Itzhak de Laat, Sjinkie Knegt, Jens van ‘t Wout
Snowboard, women’s slopestyle final: 02.30-03.45 (Sunday)
With: Melissa Peperkamp (if she makes the final)
Snowboard, slopestyle man qualification: 05.30-07.32 (Sunday)
With: Niek van der Velden
Stat of the day: 3,000m women
The 3,000 meters is the best Olympic distance for Dutch women, along with the 1,500 meters. Six golds were won on both distances. There is also a good chance that a Dutch skater will conquer the title, although two-time champion Ireen Wüst (2006 and 2014) is missing from the start list of twenty women. Carlijn Achtereekte defends her title from 2018, Antoinette de Jong is the reigning world champion and Irene Schouten is unbeaten this year. It is possible that the podium will turn completely orange, just like four years ago. Only Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida, Canadian Isabelle Weidemann, Norwegian Ragne Wiklund and Czech veteran Martina Sábliková seem to be in for a surprise. (Alex Dumas)
Eye-catcher: Irene Schouten
Tulips, ice skating, cheese: everything Dutch comes together in a woman who goes four times for gold. Irene Schouten is one of the favorites in all skating distances in Beijing, starting on Saturday morning in the 3,000 m. What makes her a potential queen of the Winter Games? A conversation at the kitchen table of the gardening family Schouten.
The art of… ski jumping
Controlled fall, that is the essence of ski jumping. If you can, you can float 120 meters through the Chinese freezing cold with little more on your body than underwear and an air-permeable suit.