WCKT: tears, traumas and longing for another WCKT

That did not apply to Robin Groot (23) of the IKO-X2O Team on Saturday afternoon. The world champion’s best friend Joy Beune improves every year and from the summer of 2023 she has been looking forward to being able to participate in a winter round of major competitions together to her team. Before this WCKT, she was confident it would happen this time. On Saturday she competed with vigor for the starting card of the World Cup in the three kilometers for women, convinced that the cut out of the top 5. According to coach Erwin ten Hove, she had failed miserably in the 1500 meters on Friday night, so it was time to take revenge. For 2300, 2400 meters she ran like a well-oiled machine, energetic and focused, all the while knowing that acidification time would come somewhere. That was inevitable.

Suddenly the ice in front of her seemed to turn to sandpaper in the final laps. Her legs felt like they were filling with lead and suddenly the colorfully dressed fans in the stands looked like black shadows dancing strangely before her eyes. When the proverbial lights went out, Robin knew enough. She had fought, but it wouldn’t be enough. The tears could no longer be held back.

If only she had been ‘fit-fit’ – a Ten Hove character. “Well,” she said in the mixed zone, “then I’d make it to the top five, because I belong there. But with my preparation it was already difficult enough…” Groot’s breathing began to slow, he became sad. Coach Martin ten Hove happened to pass and put his arm around her. She apologized, but bravely chose not to shy away from her grief. “I was so well prepared…” In a few sentences she summed up what bothered her. She had kicked off her racing bike during a training camp in Spain. In addition to bad scratches all over the right side of her body, she found a spot on her ankle that started to catch up in the following days. “I had to take antibiotics for ten days. My condition disappeared like snow in the sun. That’s my seasonI thought. That also happened to me last year at the WCKT, where I couldn’t even participate in the competition because of corona. “

She sighed deeply, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and continued: “The antibiotic treatment took a long time. A week ago I tested myself in a training run over 1100 meters. It was ok, but not like I was before. In those three kilometers it was nothing.” Shaking his head: “He stopped in those last two laps. I can usually do this easily. Without those antibiotics I would have been there, because I did mega sick steps on the bike, and also skated technically. I was looking for a team, I was part of that. But you know, individually I want to participate as well. I trained very hard this summer. Nothing went wrong, no problems, and then…. These can…antibiotics.”

Her voice became stronger, her face changed a little. “I’m glad I was able to skate at least. “Though this product isn’t very useful to me.” Fortunately, that last sentence came out with a faint smile.