Sjinkie KNEGT

BURN ACCIDENT
No longer feels any pain from the burns he sustained in a wood fire accident in January 2019. Summarised the lessons he learnt from the experience as, "Not much, except that I have to be more careful with fire. Otherwise, I just keep going. I'm still just as crazy as I was before."

"All this motivated me. For the story, it would be nice if I could come back to my previous level. Olympic gold, that's the big goal. Rebuilding everything physically, laying a new foundation." (schaatsen.nl, 7 Sep 2021, ad.nl, 29 Dec 2019)

CHARITY WORK
In 2019, he set up the Sjinkie Knegt Foundation to support people who have sustained serious burns after his own accident in January 2019. "10 January 2019 was the day my life turned upside down. I ended up on a rollercoaster and before I knew it I was in the Intensive Care Unit in the Martini Burns Center in Groningen. I ended up in hospital for seven weeks, but I never gave up on my dream. This was not always easy because recovering from burns is very tough and comes with many ups and downs. A year on, I can say I am still occupied realising my dream. I have had a lot of support from all over the country and I would like to give something back to society. I know how bad it is when you have to deal with burns, and I want to help and support others in making their dreams come true. However big or small your dream may be, I think you can achieve a lot through sport and exercise. I hope I can inspire many people and help them in any way to make their dream come true.” (sjinkiefoundation.nl)

FLIPPING THE BIRD
At the 2014 European Championships in Dresden, he was disqualified for raising both his middle fingers in the direction of Viktor An after Russian Federation won the 5000m relay by about two metres. He was ordered to give back the bronze medal he had won in the overall competition in Dresden, although he was allowed to keep the silver from the 5000m relay. He later apologised. "Of course I'm sorry. It was done out of emotion and frustration, but not with a specific purpose. It's not the smartest thing I've ever done." (independent.co.uk, 20 Jan 2014)

© Data by Sports Data Warehouse

RECORDS
Men's 1500m world record holder, set in November 2016 at the World Cup in Salt Lake City.

OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
First Dutch short track skater to win an Olympic medal after claiming bronze in the 1000m at Sochi 2014.

Fourth in the mixed team relay at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
First Dutch short track skater to win gold in a single distance race at the World Championships when he won the 500m in 2017. Became the second Dutchman, after Peter van der Velde in 1988, to win World Championship gold.

WORLD CUP
15 gold medals, 35 silver and 15 bronze.