First of all, the 36-year-old former athlete said in a short conversation with the NOS, it is great for Schulting that she has the opportunity to participate in two different events in Italy. “But I think short track is a team sport. If you look at the fact that she has not been involved in the team for the past two years and has chosen her own path towards long track skating, then I am of the opinion that she has not contributed very much to Dutch short track. When you suddenly show your face again and want a place within the Dutch team, then I think so,” says Ter Mors, winner of three gold long track medals (1000, 1500 meters and team pursuit) and a bronze medal in the women’s relay. She won the latter prize in a team with Schulting (Pyeongchang 2018).
She compares the three-time Olympic champion’s rejoining the TeamNL Short Track to ‘dropping a bomb’. “The women’s team is super strong, it has won the last two relays in the World Tour. Those girls go to the Games with such a close-knit group, and then suddenly someone comes along who has not experienced the entire process before with the rest. Not the ups, not the downs, and then suddenly has to be put together again at the biggest moment and then function as a team again: I wonder how they are going to do that.”
Ter Mors is also clear about Schulting’s short track capabilities. “She is one of the better riders, on paper, but she now just lacks the experience in competition rhythm.” The Twente native will be seen again next month on the NOS as an analyst of the Olympic short track tournament, together with former Olympian Cees Juffermans.
