Q&A TED-JAN BLOEMEN
Q You grew up in the Netherlands — a speedskating mad country — and originally competed for them. What’s it like competing in Canada instead?
A In Holland, speedskating is always very popular and very intense. Here, it should be always popular, but it’s a little more relaxed. I don’t mind it. It’s exciting, though, that we’re heading for a competition that is really going to be popular. Q You seem to have excelled since moving to Canada, setting the 10,000-metre world record in November 2015. To what do you credit your improvement? A After moving around from team to team a lot in Holland, I found that I needed a more stable situation around me for several years to really get the most out of myself. That’s what I was really looking for. But Team Canada gave me so much more. I think I got way more out of it than I could have ever hoped.
Q How do the Dutch greet you when you compete there?
A When I’m doing well, they acknowledge my Dutch roots. And when I don’t do well, they just see me as a Canadian.
Q You compete in one of the most gruelling events in sports: 10,000 metres. Can you explain what it feels like as you’re skating that distance and how it feels when the race is over?
A There is, of course, pros and cons to the race. Like you said, it can be a pretty gruelling race. It sure hurts a lot, so you have to like the hurt a little bit. Gotta be a little bit crazy like that. But also, the technique and the flow and the ease that you bring the speed with makes it a really beautiful race too. When you get into the flow, into that tunnel, and you can just keep it going lap after lap although it hurts, then it’s a really beautiful feeling and that’s what I’m looking for. That’s what I love about speedskating.