Bronze consolation prize for national coach Coopmans at Games | 1Limburg

The women had to settle for bronze, the men missed the medals for the first time in Olympic history.

Canada
Due to bad weather in the quarter-finals, both Dutch teams have already met strong opponents in the semi-finals. While in the quarter-finals, the fastest times passed to the next round, in the semi-finals, it was a question of winning the direct duels. The Dutch, with Olympic champions Ireen Wüst and Irene Schouten and bronze medalist Antoinette de Jong at the start, met Canada in the semi-finals.

Game plan
National coach Coopmans decided not to change his starting position and his game plan against the Canadians. Orange opened faster and was more than a second ahead after one lap. After that, the Netherlands conceded too much in every round, making the lead a deficit. In the end, the Oranges lost the semi-final by 0.98 seconds.

Bronze Duel
In the battle for bronze, the Netherlands met the Russian Olympic Committee, who were eliminated by Japan in the semi-finals with a big difference. Coopmans has decided to make a replacement in his team. Marijke Groenewoud replaced Antoinette de Jong on the starting grid. Again, the Orange Women started much faster, where the Russians left slowly. As a result, the difference quickly grew to over three seconds and it soon became clear that the Netherlands would win bronze. In the end, the difference was 1.8 seconds and Coopmans’ team won the bronze medal. For Ireen Wüst, it was her 13th medal at the Olympic Games.

The gold in the women’s pursuit went to Canada. Incumbent champion Japan led the entire race, but a Japanese crashed on the final corner.

Men
With their fourth time in the quarter-finals, the pursuers beat the fastest country in the semi-finals: Norway, Olympic champions 2018. Like the ladies, the men also opened their semi-finals quickly. But the men’s team, made up of Marcel Bosker, Sven Kramer and Patrick Roest, couldn’t keep up the pace either. Orange conceded 1.34 seconds at the finish and therefore also condemned to the bronze final.

United States
The Dutch did not change their roster after the semi-finals and faced the United States in the battle for bronze. After a thrilling battle, they were eliminated by the Russian Olympic Committee in the semi-finals, but they put in a fast time. In the battle for bronze, Orange was not involved for a moment. The American skaters were faster every lap and finished by nearly three seconds.

The men’s gold went to Norway. They were significantly faster than the Russians in the final.

mass start
Coopmans’ task at the Olympics is not yet complete. Next Saturday, the mass start is on the program for both men and women. Coopmans is also ultimately responsible for this part.