Speed skating was her life. Lara van Ruijven was six when she promised herself the sport. Started on the long haul, it didn’t take long for the Dutch to find her destination on the short haul. It was love on the first laps. “I tried and never returned to the long track,” she told Telegraaf in March. Years later, she was to become one of the most successful speed skaters in her country. The reigning world champion has now died.
An Olympic victory was her dream. One she had carried with her since she was a little girl, for whom she trained and fought. She was ten when she committed to this career goal. Born into a family of athletes, the mother played tennis, the father had once been a cyclist, van Ruijven not only tried out on the ice – like her brother, she also played field hockey.
Sprint to the top of the world
It wasn’t until 17 when the invitation to the training center in Heerenveen came that the dice finally fell for speed skating. She dropped the prom, changed schools and went for it.
That she became part of the national team was only the next logical step. From now on at your side: Jeroen Otter. One, if not the best coach in the industry. He pushed her on, with success. Van Ruijen’s sporty summit storm was not long in coming.
She quickly became a star on the Dutch ice skating scene. At the age of 19 she made her debut at the World Cup in Dresden, followed by several medals in European and World Championships. Then in 2019 the victory at the World Championships in Sofia. It was her greatest success. For the ambitious van Ruijven anything but a reason to rest. So she told “Telegraaf”: “It is difficult to get to the top, but it is even more difficult to stay there.”
Lara Van Ruijven was not one who wanted to push her career to the very end. “I don’t want to have a miserable end to my career. I hope that when the time comes, someone around me will tell me: Lara, stop it! It was nice, but now you’re done! ‘” She tells “Telegraaf” . After the Olympic Games in Sochi, she had already considered quitting. Pyeonchang in February 2018 should be their last games. One more medal, then the end. But it turned out differently. The bronze medal she won with the 3000 meter relay was not good enough for her to finish.
Unhappy with the results, she decided to show it to the sports world again. The Olympic Winter Games in Beijing 2022 were supposed to be their games. After that, she wanted to let her know. “You cannot know in advance what will happen in private life and in sports life,” she said.
In June, Lara van Ruijven was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease during a training camp in France. She was then put in an artificial coma at the Perpignan hospital. But her condition continued to deteriorate. Several operations could not save the life of the 27-year-old. The fight against the disease should be her last.
