More gold medals for the Dutch at world speed skating championships

DutchNews, February 14, 2016

Dutch skaters won a slew more medals at the world championships in Kolomna, Russia this weekend. 

Sven Kramer on Saturday took the world 5,000 metres speed skating title for the seventh time in his career. Kramer, 29, set a new track record of 6.10.31 for the distance. 

Fellow Dutchman Jorrit Bergsma was just 0.35 of a second behind Kramer to take  silver. The bronze went to Norway’s Sverre Lunde Pedersen. 

Kramer has taken the 5,000 metre title seven times since since 2007. The Frisian won the 10,000 metres on the opening day of the championships in Kolomna, Russia on Thursday. 

Pursuit 

The Dutch men’s and women’s teams also both picked up gold in the pursuit races and Jorien ter Mors took the women’s 1,000 and 1,500 metre titles, beating Heather  Richardson-Bergsma and Brittany Bowe of the US.

In the women’s 5,000 metre event, Carien  Kleibeuker and Irene  Schouten took silver and bronze, behind reigning 10,000 metre champion Martina  Sábliková of the Czech Republic. 

There was silver and bronze too for the Netherlands in the men’s 1,500 metres, with Kjeld Nuis and Thomas Krol finishing behind Denis Yusov of Russia. Nuis also picked up bronze in the men’s 1,000 metres.

In the men’s mass start event on Sunday, defending champion Arjan Stroetinga took the silver medal behind Seung-Hoo Lee of Korea. The mass start consists of a 16-lap race where all skaters start simultaneously, and includes four sprints.