In a NK sprint dominated by young skaters, winner Jutta Leerdam (21) and number two Femke Kok (20) stood out. The two top talents enjoyed their game, which ensured an unprecedented high level.
It is that the recently fit Ireen Wüst – at 34 years the only thirty-somethings on the start list – finished sixth. Otherwise, the complete top eight of the final classification of the women’s tournament at the NK sprint would have consisted of female skaters of 23 years or younger.
“It’s great that the youngsters are in charge,” said Leerdam on Sunday after the tournament in Heerenveen. “I don’t know if it is a coincidence that there are so many of us now, but at least it ensures that the level goes up.”
Suzanne Schulting (23, third), Michelle de Jong (21, fourth), Marrit Fledderus (19, fifth), Isabelle van Elst (22, seventh) and Dione Voskamp (23, eighth) drove a great tournament, but they were mainly Leerdam and Kok showed that the Netherlands seems to have a bright future for sprinters.
Kok won the first three distances in very good times, after which Leerdam put things in order on the last 1,000 meters and took the gold. The South Holland rider scored 149,365 points with the best score ever at the sprint event in Thialf, a track record that she took from Nao Kodaira. The Japanese world topper became world sprint champion in Heerenveen just under two years ago with a total of 149,665 points.
“The battle between me and Femke is good for Dutch skating. We keep each other sharp and that means we skate faster”, said Leerdam. And Kok: “Jutta sets a track record points today and I am very close to that (with 149,910 points, ed.). That says that we have raised the level together.”
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Jutta Leerdam (right) and Femke Kok. (Photo: ANP)
Leerdam: ‘There is still a lot of stretch in the 500 meters’
As reigning world champion, Leerdam already belongs to the world top in the 1,000 meters and at the NK sprint she showed that her 500 meters are also heading in the right direction. Kok, more the specialist on the shortest distance, was twice the best with 37.51 on Saturday and 37.52 on Sunday, but Leerdam rode her best 500 meters ever in Thialf with 37.53 and 37.60.
The track record of the Russian Angelina Golikova is still half a second sharper (37.02), but is slowly coming into view. “I see a lot of things that I can work on in the 500 meters,” said Leerdam. “There is still a lot of stretch in it, I heard that from my coaches this weekend. That is good to hear, because it only makes me happy when it can be done even harder.”
The leader of Team Worldstream points to coach Kosta Poltavets as the main reason for her progression on the shortest distance. Leerdam turned down an offer from Jumbo-Visma in the spring because she absolutely wanted to work with the former national coach of Russia and does not regret it for a second. “I am very eager to learn and Kosta is all knowledge. I have taken steps through him in practically all areas this season.”
Poltavets already set the bar very high four weeks ago at the NK distances by saying that he sees “the female Pavel Kulizhnikov” in Leerdam. “I like a bit of pressure”, Leerdam smiled. “It might scare some people, but I just think: great, so I can do a lot harder, we will work on it and I will show that I can do it.”
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