NOS Skating•
-
Sander Maassen van den Brink
editor NOS Sport
-
Sander Maassen van den Brink
editor NOS Sport
Tears flowed from Kjeld Nuis, Jutta Leerdam, Joy Beune and Marrit Fledderus. Suzanne Schulting ran like a young doe across the entire central area in Thialf. The emotions at the Staatsloterij Olympic qualifying tournament (OKT) were running in all directions over the past five days.
Most skaters now know whether they can compete in Milan in February. This way Jenning de Boo, Femke Kok, Stijn van de Bunt and Joep Wennemars can already pack their suitcase. But for Naomi Verkerk, Tim Prins and Marcel Bosker it remains to be seen.
“We will continue the tension of this tournament for a few more days,” Prins said wittily after the 1,500 meters on the final day of the OKT.
Matrix
The matrix for men and women is filled. But the KNSB selection committee has the final say. It has a maximum of three designation places available for men and three for women.
-
The matrix after the OKT -
Matrix women after OCT
The final selection will be announced no later than Sunday, January 4. What are the tough choices? We’ll go through them one by one.
The designation points for the mass start
For both men and women, the selection committee must appoint someone for the mass start. National coach Rintje Ritsma can hand in an envelope for this, but actually those names seem to have already been determined, says NOS analyst and former skater Irene Schouten.
“Jorrit Bergsma is number one and then they will put Chris Huizinga, who has already qualified, next to him. As a former roller-skating instructor, Huizinga understands the game, that should work out fine.”
“For the women, Marijke Groenewoud and Bente Kerkhoff will do the mass start, which will be a very easy task for the national coach,” Schouten predicts. Both women already qualified for Milan at an individual distance.
Groenewoud is the Dutch champion in this event and she won the mass start at the World Cup in Heerenveen in December. Kerkhoff recently won the mass start at the World Cup in Hamar.
1,500 meters, Beune or not?
Joy Beune is world champion over 1,500 meters and won a World Cup at that distance three times this season. But due to a mistake at ‘her’ distance she did not qualify. If it were up to Schouten, Beune would not be added either.
“You have to be good at the OKT, those are the rules. I don’t think they will appoint her, because you also have three other girls who can ride very fast at that distance.” The other skaters are Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong, Groenewoud and Femke Kok.
Leerdam in the 1,000 meters, right?
And then the question is what will happen to Jutta Leerdam in the 1,000 meters. Earlier this week she was still hoping for a clue after her fall at that distance. “But there is no need for a designation for Leerdam, because Naomi Verkerk is now outside the matrix, the problem has been solved,” says analyst Mark Tuitert.
Verkerk is number three in the 1,000 meters, just below the red line on the matrix. Leerdam qualified for Milan in the 500 meters and therefore it seems logical that she can also skate the 1,000 meters.
Favorite Leerdam falls at 1,000 meters, dramatic start OCT
“That is the easiest solution for the selection committee,” says Schouten.
Prins’s participation depends on the pursuit team
Finally, there is the Tim Prins issue. The Reggeborgh skater fell a few thousandths short in the 1,000 meters and finished third in the 1,500 meters.
In principle enough for Olympic participation, but the question is what national coach Ritsma wants with the team pursuit.
For the men, OKT revelation Stijn van de Bunt will most likely join the team. He will probably ride with Chris Huizinga and Jorrit Bergsma or Marcel Bosker.
Bosker is one spot below Prins in the matrix. If he is selected for the team pursuit, Prins will not be allowed to go to Milan.
“But I don’t think the pursuit team deserves a designation,” says Schouten. “They’re just not good enough. Then you have to leave Bosker out.”
“You can also form a team with Huizinga, Van de Bunt and Bergsma. It won’t be the best, but the Netherlands is not going for gold there.”
“The question is whether we should appoint Bosker for a part that we have not taken seriously for years. Are you going to take someone along for a possible bronze medal? Go away!”, Tuitert states firmly.
But if that does happen, it will be good news for Nuis. He has already qualified for the 1,000 meters and will be able to take Prins’ place in the 1,500 meters. Nuis has already become Olympic champion twice at that distance.
“If Prins goes out, he will be in for a serious blow,” says NOS analyst Erben Wennemars in conclusion.
