Ireen WUST

RETIREMENT
She will retire from speed skating after the Olympics, with her last race set to be the 1,500m at the World Cup Final in Heerenveen (NED). (Athlete Twitter, 22 Jan 2022)

PERSONAL LOSS
In January 2019, her former teammate, neighbour and close friend Paulien van Deutekom died of lung cancer at age 37. This deeply affected Wust in the middle of the season. She ended that season by winning the 1500m world title, which she dedicated to her friend Paulien. "I think she helped me. This is the most beautiful world title in my career." She later donated the medal to Paulien's infant daughter, Lynne.

Her friend's death also affected her approach to life and training. "Earlier I would focus mainly on my long-term goals, like Olympic gold or a world title. Now I enjoy the road there much more." Together with other friends and (former) skaters, she also established the Paulien van Deutekom Foundation, to fund research into lung cancer. (nu.nl, 2019; ad.nl, 2020; univemagazine.nl, 2020; Libelle.nl, 2019)

POST-CAREER
After retiring, wants to study either psychomotor therapy or movement therapy. (univemagazine.nl, 2020)

PAST RELATIONSHIP
Was previously in a relationship with two-time Olympic short track speed skater Sanne van Kerkhof, who won four European relay titles.

© Data by Sports Data Warehouse

Most successful Dutch Olympic athlete, winning six gold, five silver and one bronze medal. This is both the highest number of medals for any Dutch athlete (12) and the highest number of gold medals for any Dutch Olympian (six).

In 2022, became the first Olympic athlete to win gold at five Olympic Games (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022).

At Sochi 2014, she became the first Dutch Olympic athlete to win five medals at a single Olympic Games.

At Torino 2006, she was only 19 years and 317 days old when she won a gold medal in the 3000 m, making her the youngest Dutch Olympic champion at the Winter Olympic Games. If she wins another gold at Beijing 2022, she will become the oldest Dutch Olympian to win gold. That record is currently held by Stien Baas-Kaiser (33 years old in Sapporo 1972).

With 70 medals in international senior championships is one of the most accomplished female speed skaters of all time. Through 2021, she has won five Olympic gold medals (surpassed only by Lidiya Skoblikova (URS), with six), seven world Allround titles (only surpassed by Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann (GER), with eight), 15 world distance titles (only surpassed by Martina Sablikova (CZE), with 16), five European Allround titles (second behind Niemann, with 8) and two European distance titles (tied for first).

In Beijing, she competed in her fifth Olympic Winter Games - a record for any female Dutch winter Olympian - winning gold in the 1500m. Two men have also participated five times, and they are set to be joined by Sven Kramer in Beijing.