Clean sweep for Dutch women in Olympics 3,000 metre speed skating

DutchNews, February 10, 2018

Carlijn Achtereekte celebrates her victory. Photo: AP Photo/Petr David Josek 

Carlijn Achtereekte was the surprise winner of the gold medal in the 3,000 speed skating event at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics on Saturday, as the Dutch women swept the board. 

Achtereekte, who won the race in 3.59.21, narrowly beat team mate and defending champion Ireen Wüst into second place. Antoinette de Jong completed the all-Dutch winners podium. 

Spandoek van de dag! #OS2018 pic.twitter.com/PPNXc3s0C8

— Arjan Dijksma (@arjandijksma) February 10, 2018

Elsewhere, Sjinkie Knegt picked up the silver medal in the men’s short track 1,500 metre event. Knegt finished just behind South Korea’s Lim Hyo-jun. 

Knegt’s medal is only the second ever won by the Dutch in the short track events. He took bronze in the 1,000 metres in the Sochi games. 

Earlier there was disappointment for the Dutch women short track team when none of them qualified for the final. 

The games are already over for the Netherlands’ youngest team mate. Snowboarder Niek van der Velden, who is just 17, broke his arm after falling during training.

‘The wind carried me a little further then I was pleased with and I had to take a slam,’ he said in English on Instagram. ‘I’m bummed out that I couldn’t compete because I was really excited to go, but I’ll be back in no time!’