Netherlands at the 2014 Winter Olympics

Netherlands at the Olympic Games
Flag of the Netherlands IOC code  NED NOC Dutch Olympic Committee* Dutch Sports Federation Website www.nocnsf.nl (Dutch)
At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi
Competitors	41 in 4 sports
Flag bearer	Jorien ter Mors (opening)[1] Bob de Jong (closing)[2]
Medals Rank: 5	Gold 8	Silver 7	Bronze 9	Total 24
Olympic history (summary)
Summer Games
1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016
Winter Games
1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014
Intercalated Games
1906

The Netherlands competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. The Dutch team was the largest Dutch delegation at a Winter Olympics, with 41 competitors that participated in bobsleigh, short track speed skating, snowboarding, and speed skating.

With a total of 24 medals, it turned out to be the most successful Winter Games ever for the Dutch team. The Dutch team won 23 medals in speed skating and one medal in short track speed skating. Olympic speed skating records were set on the men's 5,000 metres by Sven Kramer, the men's 10,000 metres by Jorrit Bergsma, the men's team pursuit by Jan Blokhuijsen, Sven Kramer and Koen Verweij, the women's 1,500 metres by Jorien ter Mors and the women's team pursuit by Marrit Leenstra, Jorien ter Mors and Ireen Wüst. By sweeping the podium in speed skating at the men's 500 m, 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres, and the women's 1,500 m, the Netherlands became the first country in Winter Olympics history to achieve four podium sweeps at one edition of the Games.

King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and Minister of Health, Welfare, and Sport Edith Schippers attended the Olympics. The Holland Heineken House was the meeting place for supporters and athletes during the Olympics.

Medalists

The Dutch team won 24 medals of which 23 were in (long track) speed skating and one in short track speed skating.

The speed skaters swept the podiums in the men's 500 metres, men's 5,000 metres, men's 10,000 metres, and the women's 1,500 metres.^[3] The Netherlands is the first country to achieve four podium sweeps at one Winter Olympics edition (beating the previous record of two which was achieved by Norway in 1924, 1928 and 1932, Soviet Union in 1964, East Germany in 1972 and 1984 and Germany in 1998).

In the women's 1,500 metres speed skating, Dutch athletes placed 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th; the first such result in Olympic speed skating history by athletes from a single nation.

Medal Name Sport Event Date  Gold Kramer, SvenSven Kramer Speed skating Men's 5000 metres 8 February  Gold Wüst, IreenIreen Wüst Speed skating Women's 3000 metres 9 February  Gold Mulder, MichelMichel Mulder Speed skating Men's 500 metres 10 February  Gold Groothuis, StefanStefan Groothuis Speed skating Men's 1000 metres 12 February  Gold Mors, Jorien terJorien ter Mors Speed skating Women's 1500 metres 16 February  Gold Bergsma, JorritJorrit Bergsma Speed skating Men's 10000 metres 18 February  Gold Blokhuijsen, JanJan Blokhuijsen Kramer, SvenSven Kramer Verweij, KoenKoen Verweij Speed skating Men's team pursuit 22 February  Gold Beek, Lotte vanLotte van Beek Leenstra, MarritMarrit Leenstra Mors, Jorien terJorien ter Mors Wüst, IreenIreen Wüst Speed skating Women's team pursuit 22 February  Silver Blokhuijsen, JanJan Blokhuijsen Speed skating Men's 5000 metres 8 February  Silver Smeekens, JanJan Smeekens Speed skating Men's 500 metres 10 February  Silver Wüst, IreenIreen Wüst Speed skating Women's 1000 metres 13 February  Silver Verweij, KoenKoen Verweij Speed skating Men's 1500 metres 15 February  Silver Wüst, IreenIreen Wüst Speed skating Women's 1500 metres 16 February  Silver Kramer, SvenSven Kramer Speed skating Men's 10000 metres 18 February  Silver Wüst, IreenIreen Wüst Speed skating Women's 5000 metres 19 February  Bronze Bergsma, JorritJorrit Bergsma Speed skating Men's 5000 metres 8 February  Bronze Mulder, RonaldRonald Mulder Speed skating Men's 500 metres 10 February  Bronze Boer, MargotMargot Boer Speed skating Women's 500 metres 11 February  Bronze Mulder, MichelMichel Mulder Speed skating Men's 1000 metres 12 February  Bronze Boer, MargotMargot Boer Speed skating Women's 1000 metres 13 February  Bronze Knegt, SjinkieSjinkie Knegt Short track speed skating Men's 1000 metres 15 February  Bronze Beek, Lotte vanLotte van Beek Speed skating Women's 1500 metres 16 February  Bronze Jong, Bob deBob de Jong Speed skating Men's 10000 metres 18 February  Bronze Kleibeuker, CarienCarien Kleibeuker Speed skating Women's 5000 metres 19 February

Medals by sport Sport Total Speed skating 8 7 8 23 Short track speed skating 0 0 1 1 Total 8 7 9 24 Medals by date Day Date Total Day 1 8 February 1 1 1 3 Day 2 9 February 1 0 0 1 Day 3 10 February 1 1 1 3 Day 4 11 February 0 0 1 1 Day 5 12 February 1 0 1 2 Day 6 13 February 0 1 1 2 Day 7 14 February 0 0 0 0 Day 8 15 February 0 1 1 2 Day 9 16 February 1 1 1 3 Day 10 17 February 0 0 0 0 Day 11 18 February 1 1 1 3 Day 12 19 February 0 1 1 2 Day 13 20 February 0 0 0 0 Day 14 21 February 0 0 0 0 Day 15 22 February 2 0 0 2 Day 16 23 February 0 0 0 0 Total 8 7 9 24

Team

Dutch team entering the stadium during the opening ceremony

The Dutch team consisted of 41 competitors that participated in bobsleigh (6), short track speed skating (10), snowboarding (6), and speed skating (20). It was the largest Dutch delegation ever at the Winter Olympics.^[4] It was also the first time that the Netherlands had an athlete competing in two different sports: Jorien ter Mors competed in both short track speed skating and speed skating. Jorien ter Mors was the Dutch flag bearer at the opening ceremony^[1][5] and Bob de Jong was the flag bearer at the closing ceremony.^[2] Maurits Hendriks was the chef de mission for the Dutch team.^[6]

Sports

Bobsleigh

Pilot Edwin van Calker and crewman Bror van der Zijde in the Dutch two-man bobsleigh on 17 February 2014

The Dutch bobsledders (6 athletes) competed with one team in each bobsleigh event: two-man, four-man, and two-woman. Their best result was a fourth place of the two-woman team.^[7]

Athlete	Event	Run 1		Run 2		Run 3		Run 4		Total
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Edwin van Calker* Bror van der Zijde	Two-man	57.54	=21	57.46	21	57.38	=18	56.95	15	3:49.33	19
Edwin van Calker* Sybren Jansma Arno Klaassen Bror van der Zijde	Four-man	55.55	13	55.57	15	55.82	12	55.75	12	3:42.69	11
Esmé Kamphuis* Judith Vis	Two-woman	57.94	5	58.10	6	58.20	6	58.03	2	3:52.27	4

Key: * denotes pilot of each sled, = denotes multiple teams share the same rank. Source:^[7]

Short track speed skating

The Dutch short track speed skaters (10 athletes) competed in all eight short track events.^[8]

The Netherlands qualified the maximum of five skaters of each gender for the Olympics during World Cup 3 & 4 in November 2013.^[9] Four men qualified for the 500 metres, but only three were allowed to start. The selection committee of the Dutch Speed Skating Federation (KNSB) decided that Daan Breeuwsma would not compete in the 500 metres.^[10]

Sjinkie Knegt won the bronze medal in the men's 1000 metres, which is the first ever Olympic medal in short track speed skating for the Netherlands.^[11]

Men

Sjinkie Knegt won bronze at the 1000 m.

Dutch relay team after finishing fourth

Athlete	Event	Heat		Quarter-final		Semi-final		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Niels Kerstholt	500 m	42.441	3	Did not advance					24
	1000 m	1:25.695	3	Did not advance					19
	1500 m	2:13.848	1 Q	N/A		2:17.134	6	DNA	16
Freek van der Wart	500 m	41.190	2 Q	1:01.371	3	Did not advance			10
	1000 m	PEN		Did not advance					—
Sjinkie Knegt	500 m	41.235	1 Q	41.683	1 Q	41.290	3 FB	42.608	8
	1000 m	1:26.091	2 Q	1:25.695	2 Q	1:27.258	3 AA	1:25.611
	1500 m	2:14.249	3 Q	N/A		2:14.677	3 FB	2:39.581	12
Daan Breeuwsma Niels Kerstholt Sjinkie Knegt Freek van der Wart	5000 m relay	N/A				6:45.385	1 FA	6:49.149	4

• Christiaan Bokkerink was selected as part of the relay squad but did not compete during the event.

Key: AA = Advanced to medal round due to being impeded by another skater; DNA = Did not advance; FA = Qualify to medal round; FB = Qualify to consolation round; PEN = Penalty; Q = Qualified to next round. Source:^[8]

Women

Jorien ter Mors

Lara van Ruijven

Athlete	Event	Heat		Quarter-final		Semi-final		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Jorien ter Mors	500 m	44.262	1 Q	43.572	2 Q	44.242	4 FB	44.331	6
	1000 m	1:46.661	3 A	1:29.119	2 Q	1:30.481	3 FB	1:36.835	5
	1500 m	2:21.626	1 Q	N/A		2:19.382	2 FA	2:19.656	4
Yara van Kerkhof	500 m	44.044	2 Q	43.888	3	Did not advance			11
	1000 m	1:29.980	3	Did not advance					18
	1500 m	2:26.809	3 Q	N/A		2:20.291	5	DNA	15
Lara van Ruijven	500 m	44.023	3	Did not advance					17
Jorien ter Mors Sanne van Kerkhof Yara van Kerkhof Lara van Ruijven	3000 m relay	N/A				PEN		DNA	—

• Rianne de Vries was selected as part of the relay squad but did not compete during the event.

Key: A = Advanced to next round due to being impeded by another skater; DNA = Did not advance; FA = Qualify to medal round; FB = Qualify to consolation round; PEN = Penalty; Q = Qualified to next round. Source:^[8]

Snowboarding

The Dutch snowboarders (6 athletes) competed in five of ten snowboarding events: men's halfpipe (2), women's slopestyle (1), women's parallel giant slalom (2), women's parallel slalom (2), and women's snowboard cross (1). None of the competitors advanced to the finals of their disciplines.^[12]

Freestyle

Athlete	Event	Qualification				Semi-final				Final
		Run 1	Run 2	Best	Rank	Run 1	Run 2	Best	Rank	Run 1	Run 2	Best	Rank
Dimi de Jong	Men's halfpipe	25.25	64.25	64.25	12	Did not advance							24
Dolf van der Wal		25.50	62.50	62.50	14	Did not advance							26
Cheryl Maas	Women's slopestyle	18.00	31.25	31.25	9 QS	30.75	14.75	30.75	12	Did not advance			20

Key: QS = Qualify to semifinal. Source:^[12]

Parallel

Athlete	Event	Qualification		Round of 16	Quarter-final	Semi-final	Final
		Time	Rank	Opposition Time	Opposition Time	Opposition Time	Opposition Time	Rank
Michelle Dekker	Women's giant slalom	1:53.74	22	Did not advance				22
	Women's slalom	1:05.66	19	Did not advance				19
Nicolien Sauerbreij	Women's giant slalom	1:47.22	4 Q	Meschik (AUT) L +0.05	Did not advance			10
	Women's slalom	1:05.69	20	Did not advance				20

Key: L = Lost, Q = Qualify to next round. Source:^[12]

Snowboard cross

Bell Berghuis

Athlete	Event	Seeding				Quarter-final	Semi-final	Final
		Run 1	Run 2	Best	Rank	Position	Position	Position	Rank
Bell Berghuis	Women's snowboard cross	1:28.19	1:28.70	1:28.19	22	5	Did not advance		20

Source:^[12]

Speed skating

The Netherlands qualified the maximum of ten speed skaters of each gender.^[13] Individual riders were selected from the results of the Dutch Olympic Qualification Tournament, held between 27 and 30 December 2013 in Thialf, Heerenveen.^[14][15]

The Dutch speed skaters competed in all twelve long track events. The Netherlands dominated in speed skating winning eight out of the 12 gold medals and won a total of 23 medals, with medals in all events.^[16] There were four Dutch podium sweeps where the Netherlands won the gold, silver and bronze medal. The events were the: Men's 5000m, Men's 500m, Women's 1500m and Men's 10000m. The women's 1,500 metres resulted in the Dutch women placing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th; the first such result by a single nation since East Germany dominated the men's singles luge competition at the 1972 Winter Olympics.

Margot Boer, by winning the bronze medal in the women's 500 metres, won the first ever Dutch Olympic medal in that event,^[17][18] while Michel Mulder was the first Dutch man to win gold at the 500 metres.

Men

Dutch podium at the men's 5000 metres.
1) Sven Kramer
2) Jan Blokhuijsen
3) Jorrit Bergsma

Another Dutch podium at the men's 500 metres.
1) Michel Mulder
2) Jan Smeekens
3) Ronald Mulder

Athlete	Event	Race 1		Race 2		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Jorrit Bergsma	5000 m	N/A				6:16.66
	10000 m	N/A				OR 12:44.45
Jan Blokhuijsen	1500 m	N/A				1:46.50	13
	5000 m	N/A				6:15.71
Stefan Groothuis	500 m	35.42	24	56.81	39	92.24	38
	1000 m	N/A				1:08.39
	1500 m	N/A				1:46.08	12
Bob de Jong	10000 m	N/A				13:07.19
Sven Kramer	5000 m	N/A				OR 6:10.76
	10000 m	N/A				12:49.02
Michel Mulder	500 m	34.63	2	34.67	2	69.312
	1000 m	N/A				1:08.74
Ronald Mulder	500 m	34.969	6	34.49	1	69.46
Jan Smeekens	500 m	34.59	1	34.72	3	69.324
Mark Tuitert	1000 m	N/A				1:09.29	10
	1500 m	N/A				1:45.42	5
Koen Verweij	1000 m	N/A				1:09.09	6
	1500 m	N/A				1:45.009

Key: OR = Olympic record. Source:^[16]

Women

Ireen Wüst after winning the women's 3000 metres.

Dutch podium at the women's 1500 metres.
1) Jorien ter Mors
2) Ireen Wust
3) Lotte van Beek

Athlete	Event	Race 1		Race 2		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Lotte van Beek	500 m	38.67	15	38.73	17	77.40	16
	1000 m	N/A				1:15.10	5
	1500 m	N/A				1:54.54
Margot Boer	500 m	37.77	5	37.71	3	75.48
	1000 m	N/A				1:14.90
Antoinette de Jong	3000 m	N/A				4:06.77	7
Carien Kleibeuker	5000 m	N/A				6:55.66
Marrit Leenstra	500 m	39.03	21	38.7	16	77.74	19
	1000 m	N/A				1:15.15	6
	1500 m	N/A				1:56.40	4
Jorien ter Mors	1500 m	N/A				OR 1:53.51
Yvonne Nauta	5000 m	N/A				7:01.76	6
Laurine van Riessen	500 m	38.645	14	38.35	9	76.99	11
Annouk van der Weijden	3000 m	N/A				4:05.75	5
Ireen Wüst	1000 m	N/A				1:14.69
	1500 m	N/A				1:54.09
	3000 m	N/A				4:00.34
	5000 m	N/A				6:54.28

Key: OR = Olympic record. Source:^[16]

Team pursuit

Athlete	Event	Quarter-final	Semi-final	Final
		Opposition Time	Opposition Time	Opposition Time	Rank
Sven Kramer Koen Verweij Jan Blokhuijsen	Men's team pursuit	France (FRA) W 3:44.48	Poland (POL) W 3:40.79	South Korea (KOR) W 3:37.71 OR
Ireen Wüst Lotte van Beek Marrit Leenstra Jorien ter Mors	Women's team pursuit	United States (USA) W 2:58.61 OR	Japan (JPN) W 2:58.43 OR	Poland (POL) W 2:58.05 OR

• Jorrit Bergsma was selected as part of the men's team pursuit squad but did not compete during the event.

Key: OR = Olympic record, W = Won. Source:^[16]

Supporters

The medalists of the men's 10000 metres in speed skating celebrated with fans in the Holland Heineken House

Dignitaries

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and King Willem-Alexander attended the Olympics, despite the recent troubled Dutch relationship with Russia. The pair was accompanied by the King's wife Queen Máxima and Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Edith Schippers, with the King's status as an Honorary member of the IOC adding to the significance of his visit.^[19] The visit was controversial due to the Russian anti-gay laws.^[20] On the second day of the Games, King Willem-Alexander awarded the medals to the three Dutch medalists of the men's 5000 metres speed skating during the victory ceremony at medal plaza.^[21]

National house

During the Games, the Netherlands had a national house; the 12th edition of the Holland Heineken House. Organized by NOC*NSF and Heineken,^[22] the Dutch national house was a meeting place for Dutch supporters, athletes and other followers. The Dutch national house was located 5 km south of the Olympic Park at the Azimut Hotel Resort. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, as well as Russian president Vladimir Putin visited the Dutch national house during the Games.^[23]

References

1. "Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony – Flagbearers" (PDF). http://www.olympic.org/. Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
2. "Sochi 2014 Closing Ceremony – Flagbearers" (PDF). The International Olympic Committee (IOC). 23 February 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
3. http://www.startribune.com/sports/245985491.html
4. "Ploeg Sotsji telt 41 sporters" (in Dutch). nusport.nl. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
5. "Jorien ter Mors vlaggendraagster bij openingsceremonie" [Jorien ter Mors flag bearer at the opening ceremony] (in Dutch). 6 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
6. (Dutch) "Nederland heeft meeste medailles van alle landen", Algemeen Dagblad, 2014. Retrieved on 5 March 2014.
7. "Official Results Book Bobsleigh 16 to 23 February" (PDF). 1.0. Sochi: Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee. 23 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
8. "Official Results Book Short Track Speed Skating 10 to 21 February" (PDF). 1.0. Sochi: Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
9. "SPECIAL REGULATIONS & TECHNICAL RULES SPEED SKATING and SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING 2012" (pdf) (Press release). International Skating Union. June 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
10. "Shorttracker Breeuwsma hekelt besluit KNSB over 500-meter" (in Dutch). Nusport.nl. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
11. Stuart Clarke (15 February 2014). "Sochi 2014: Knegt gets hands dirty to win first Dutch short track medal". The Sport Review.
12. "Official Results Book Snowboard 6 to 22 February" (PDF). 1.0. Sochi: Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee. 23 February 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
13. December 9 Entries Speed skating
14. "Schaatsers proberen olympische kwalificatie af te dwingen in Thialf" (in Dutch). Nusport.nl. 26 December 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
15. "Hoe ziet het programma van het OKT in Thialf eruit?" (in Dutch). Nusport.nl. 26 December 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
16. "Official Results Book Speed Skating 8 to 22 February" (PDF). 1.0. Sochi: Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee. 23 February 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
17. James O'Brien (11 February 2014). "Heather Richardson falls short of medal, Lee Sang-hwa wins 500m gold". NBC News.
18. Lisette van der Geest; Pieter Sabel (11 February 2014). "Live – Margot Boer wint brons" (in Dutch). Volkskrant.nl.
19. "Dutch Prime Minister and King of Netherlands to break international trend and attend Sochi 2014". insidethegames.biz. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
20. "Dutch Prime Minister and King of Netherlands to break international trend and attend Sochi 2014" (in Dutch). nusport.nl. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
21. "Koning reikt medailles uit aan schaatsers" (in Dutch). ad.nl. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
22. "Holland Heineken House dichter bij olympiërs dan ooit" (in Dutch). nusport.nl. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
23. "Putin heads to Holland's Heineken House for Olympic party". 10 February 2014.

External links

• Netherlands Team at Sochi 2014 Olympics