The Winter Olympics have officially started. Irene Schouten competes for gold in four parts. In addition, two other long track skaters, a bobsleigher and a skier with roots in North Holland, have traveled to Beijing. It concerns Maarten Meiners, Merijn Scheperkamp, Ivo de Bruin and Cornelius Kersten, who plays for Great Britain.
All eyes are on Schouten. According to her youth coach, Thea Bervoets, she could win three or four medals at the games. The Hoogkarspelse will be in action for the Netherlands on five different days in China. At the previous Winter Games, in Pyeongchang, she won bronze in the mass start. She also became world champion several times, including in the mass start and the 5,000 meters.
Schouten is not the only skater from North Holland who plays for the Netherlands. Merijn Scheperkamp from Hilversum will also be competing at the Winter Olympics for the first time. The 21-year-old previously competed in the Youth Olympics, where he won a bronze medal. On February 12, Scheperkamp will ride the 500 meters.
Not only skaters from North Holland participate. Maarten Meiners from Naarden is an alpine skier, specializing in giant slalom. His match is on February 13. The Uithoornse Ivo de Bruin will be released on 19 and 20 February in the four-man bob.
‘Low British’
Cornelius Kersten is an odd one out. Kersten was born in Heemstede, skated his entire youth on the ice rink in Haarlem, but plays for Great Britain at the Winter Games.
Unfortunately, the ‘NederBritish’ skater did not succeed in conquering a place in the Orange team. Since his mother is from England, he has a dual passport and now represents Great Britain.