Stockholm (AP) – Almost three weeks after his fabulous world record over 10,000 meters and his second Olympic victory in Beijing, the Swedish speed skating star Nils van der Poel announced the end of his professional career.
He will finish the current season and then be a hobby skater for the rest of his life, the double Olympic champion said on Thursday in Hamar, Norway, according to the Swedish news agency TT.
In Beijing, van der Poel won gold in the 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters in a world record time of 12:30.74 minutes. According to the human rights organization Amnesty International, he gave one of his gold medals to the Swedish book publisher Gui Minhai, who was imprisoned in China.
His ambition is that the World Cup finals in Heerenveen on March 12th and 13th will be his last event as a professional speed skater. However, he cannot rule out starting a 10,000 meter race in the World Cup next year to drive around in circles and meet friends, said the 25-year-old. However, his professional ambitions are over.
The world championships in all-around and team sprint will take place in Hamar, Norway, until March 6th.