Jan 28, 2024 at 12:03 AM Update: 4 hours ago
Femke Kok was not satisfied on Saturday with her fourth place in the 500 meters at the World Cup in Salt Lake City. The reigning world champion in the shortest distance learns important lessons in the American record hall towards the World Championship distances in Calgary.
Adjusting to the altitude in Salt Lake City – the Utah Olympic Oval is 4,700 feet above sea level – remains complicated. Kok has experienced this again in recent days.
“For my 1,000 meters yesterday, I had done a little too much in the warm-up,” Kok told the newspaper on Saturday. NOS. “I had not sufficiently taken into account that you recover much less well at altitude, so I was quite tired at the start. That race was therefore quite hard. I was curious whether I would be fresh and fierce for the 500 meters today. .”
The answer was: not entirely. Kok started poorly at her favorite distance, resulting in a mediocre opening of 10.53 seconds for her. “I didn’t start sharply and lost a lot in the first meters. That’s a shame and not good. I’m going to work very hard to get that better.”
The 23-year-old Friezin achieved a final time of 37.26 after a reasonable lap. This put her three tenths above her Dutch record (36.96) and just missed the podium. South Korea’s Min-Sun Kim took the bronze in 37.22. The gap with the winning time – 36.90 of Olympic champion Erin Jackson – was quite large.
“I came for a podium spot. And preferably for the win,” says Kok. “But today I didn’t show a good ride. It has to be much better at the World Cup.”
Can Femke Kok beat Erin Jackson at the World Cup?
The 500 meters at the World Championship distances in Calgary (15-18 February) is Kok’s big goal. In Canada she wants to beat top favorite Jackson and extend her world title.
“I just have to trust myself,” says the Dutchwoman. “Last season I was not on the podium once in the World Cup, but I won at the World Cup. So I know that something is always possible. In any case, I will do everything I can to become world champion again.”
She will at least be able to use the lessons from Salt Lake City in Calgary, where the skating rink is 1,105 meters above sea level. “I learned again this week that you shouldn’t act too crazy at heights,” says Kok with a laugh. “I’ll definitely take that with me to the World Cup.”
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2024-01-27 23:03:57
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