Nils van der Poel finished on top.
Nils van der Poel, 26, rose to sporting heroism at the Beijing Olympics. PDO
The speed skater who came home from the Beijing Olympics with two gold medals Nils van der Poel was honored in his native Sweden.
On Tuesday, Van der Poel was presented with the Bragdguldet medal, which is a type of Sportsman of the Year award, awarded by Svenska Dagbladet since 1925.
The Olympic hero, who ended his career last spring at only 25 years old, was a little embarrassed by the recognition.
– I don’t really know what to feel. It hasn’t been a year, but almost a year. For me, it’s something that happened then, van der Poel said in an interview with Dagbladet.
He didn’t know how to say yes or no when it comes to partying.
– I’ve been trying to think for a month about what to say, but I haven’t come up with anything clever. Not to mention partying. I have friends who would like to get the party started. I have celebrated my achievements and I am very proud of them.
He joked about his everyday life
The victories in Beijing came in dominating style. At 5,000 meters, the Swede toasted the Olympic record on the board and set an even better one at 10,000 meters, at the end of which, in addition to the Olympic victory, he got to win the world record.
After the Olympics, van der Poel skated the world championship in general skating and the long distance world cup to fill his trophy cabinet.
Dagbladet’s reporter tried to ask what exactly the man has replaced what he got from elite sports the kicks during a brisk half year.
The answer was tinged with a hint of special humor.
– Mainly with heroin, van der Poel mused.
Van der Poel handed over his 10,000m Olympic gold medal to a Swedish human rights activist Angela Guillewhose father Gui Minhai is accused of espionage in China.
Sources: Expressen, Aftonbladet