The Dutch men’s short track team have won Olympic gold in the relay after years of near misses, delivering the team medal coach Niels Kerstholt had set his heart on.
Jens van ’t Wout, Melle van ’t Wout, Friso Emons and Teun Boer skated the final, with Itzhak de Laat as reserve.
The title completed an already remarkable tournament for the short track team. Jens van ’t Wout finished with three gold medals and one bronze, while his brother Melle van ’t Wout added individual silver. Xandra Velzeboer won two gold medals in the women’s events.
Kerstholt said he wanted his skaters to show what they stand for. “We wanted to show who we are and what a great sport this is. A team medal is part of that – and this one is gold,” he said.
The win also carried personal weight. Kerstholt was part of the relay squad in 2014 that fell in the Olympic final and missed out on a medal. “Finally, revenge for 2014,” he said.
Disappointment
There was disappointment for Velzeboer in the women’s 1,500 metres, however. Both she and former Olympic champion Suzanne Schulting fell in the semi-finals, putting them out of medal contention.
Olympic skating concludes on Saturday with the mass start races. Jorrit Bergsma and Stijn van de Bunt are in action in the men’s semi-finals with Marijke Groenewoud and Bente Kerkhoff in the women’s event.
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.
We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.
Make a donation
