Irene Schouten has also won the 5 kilometers in the NK distances after the 3 kilometers. Defending champion Esmee Visser fell just off the podium in Heerenveen on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Schouten was again in a class of his own with a time of 6.55.94. Reina Anema (7.01.37) finished second on the 3,000 meters just like Saturday and Carlijn Achtereekte (7.01.62) took NK bronze on the longest distance for the fifth year in a row.
Visser (7.02.06) was more than four tenths short for a medal. The reigning Olympic champion at this distance took the Dutch title in the 5,000 meters in the past two seasons. The 24-year-old South Holland already disappointed on the 3 kilometers with an eleventh place
Antoinette de Jong, the 2017 champion, was only seventh (7.07.22), still behind Joy Beune (fifth in 7.05.23) and Melissa Wijfje (sixth in 7.05.80).
Schouten, second behind Visser in the 5 kilometers last year, is multiple Dutch champion at the mass start and the marathon, but until this weekend she had not yet had a national title on a ‘classic’ speed skating distance.
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