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Ted-Jan Bloemen

Canada

SportSpeed Skating
FederationIDSSCAN11608198601
NOCCanada
Born16 Aug 1986 in  Leiderdorp
GenderMen
ResidenceCalgary, AB, CAN
OccupationAthlete
LanguagesDutch, English, German
FamilyWife Marlinde, daughter Fiene [2019], son Thias [2022]
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 36.87 19 Mar 2010 Heerenveen  
    1000m 1:10.87 21 Mar 2009 Calgary  
    1500m 1:44.91 15 Nov 2015 Calgary  
    5000m 6:01.86 10 Dec 2017 Salt Lake City, UT  
    10000m 12:33.75 17 Dec 2022 Calgary  
Main Achievements
 
Main Achievements
Olympic Games
Event  
Olympic Games
    5000m   1    
    10000m 1      
World Single Distances Championships
Event  
World Single Distances Championships
    5000m 1      
    10000m   3 1  
    Team Pursuit   2 1  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?He took up the sport in 1990 at Schaatsclub Gouda in the Netherlands.  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"I like to just make a good plan and really stick to it. That's how I keep my consistency in my daily routine. And that is what I need. Because that consistency is a bit of a weakness for me. It's hard to keep that going throughout the whole year. If I don't have that plan to hold onto, it's so hard for me mentally to stay on it and to keep my belief habits." (thestar.com, 31 Jan 2022)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachBart Schouten [national], NED; William Dutton [national], CAN  
General Interest
General Interest
Other informationFATHERHOOD
His daughter Fiene was born in 2019 and his son Thias followed in 2022. "It changes your perspective for sure. Speed skating has always been the red line in my life, like if I don't know what to do, I'm going to go skating and get better. That has always been the purpose of my life. Now I have two things that I'm super passionate about. I don't know how it is for sprinting, but for long distance skating, we just need to exert ourselves all summer. Pretty much every day in the summer, you're just crashed on the couch and you're done for the day. It gets really hard to still have energy to enjoy some playtime with your kid. I found that really frustrating. If I'm still going to skate, I need to figure this out, how to be an athlete and a dad at the same time." (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023; Player's Own Voice podcast, 29 Sep 2020)

FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO CANADA
In June 2014 he moved from the Netherlands to Canada with the intention of switching nationality. He made the decision after missing out on selection for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. He is eligible to represent Canada through his father Gerhard-Jan, who was born in New Brunswick. Bloemen received his new passport just ahead of the 2014/15 World Cup season. "I didn't really know what to expect but I was grateful for the opportunity. So I went with the intention of being the best team player I could be, ready to share my experience and knowledge. It turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I couldn't be more grateful for the way I was received by the team. People really made an effort to help me find my way and feel at home in my new country." (netherlandsnewslive.com, 23 Jan 2021; Player's Own Voice podcast, 29 Sep 2020; Speed Skating Canada YouTube channel, 29 Jan 2020; cbc.ca, 09 Feb 2017; schaatsflits.nl, 29 Oct 2014; sirc.ca, 27 Oct 2014)
 
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/tjbloemen  
twitter.com/tedjan  
General Interest
General Interest
HobbiesPlaying video games, Formula One. (X profile, 02 Jun 2023; Athlete, 09 Feb 2023)  
Memorable sporting achievementWinning gold in the 10,000m at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sportHe loved skating on frozen rivers and lakes as a child, so his parents took him to a speed skating club. "I grew up in the Netherlands, what else could I do?"  
General Interest
General Interest
InjuriesHe was affected by illness in the lead-up to the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. (ca.sports.yahoo.com, 12 Feb 2022)

He collided with national colleague Stefan Waples while warming up for the team pursuit at the 2015 World Cup event in Inzell, Germany. He suffered a flesh wound to his left leg and was unable to compete. (isu.org, 04 Dec 2015)
 
Awards and honoursIn 2016 and 2018 he received the Jeremy Wotherspoon Award from Speed Skating Canada. The honour recognises the Canadian male speed skater of the year. (speedskating.ca, 01 Jan 2020, 24 Sep 2016)

In 2016 he received the Oscar Mathisen Award. The honour is presented annually in recognition of the most outstanding speed skating performance of the season. (speedskating.ca, 22 Sep 2017)

In 2015 he was named Skater of the Year by the Alberta Amateur Speed Skating Association [AASSA] in Canada. (schaatsen.nl, 02 May 2016)
 
Most influential person in careerCoach Bart Schouten, and his wife Marlinde. (Speed Skating Canada YouTube channel, 29 Jan 2020; Athlete, 20 Nov 2018)  
Hero / IdolBritish Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton. (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Training RegimeHe trains at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, AB, Canada.  
Club / TeamIchiban Speed Skating Club: Calgary, AB, CAN  
General Interest
General Interest
MilestonesHe became the first speed skater representing Canada to win gold in the 10,000m at the Olympic Winter Games by claiming victory in the event at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang. (SportsDeskOnline, 09 Nov 2022; speedskating.ca, 03 Feb 2022)  
NicknamesTJ Flowers, TJ Fleurs ['Bloemen' is Dutch for 'flowers']. (olympics.com, 21 Feb 2022)  
AmbitionsTo compete at the 2024 World Single Distances Championships in Calgary, AB, Canada. (speedskating.ca, 05 Oct 2023)  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2021/2022 Four Continents Championships 5000m1  
    2018 Olympic Games 10000m1  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships 5000m1  
    2021/2022 Four Continents Championships Team Pursuit1  
    2021/2022 Four Continents Championships 1500m2  
    2018/2019 World Allround Championships 10000m2  
    2014/2015 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit 8 Laps2  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit 8 Laps2  
    2023/2024 World Single Distances Championships 10000m2  
    2015/2016 World Single Distances Championships 10000m2  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships 10000m2  
    2018 Olympic Games 5000m2  
    2023/2024 Four Continents Championships 5000m3  
    2015/2016 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit 8 Laps3  
    2022/2023 World Single Distances Championships 10000m3  
    2009/2010 World Allround Championships 5000m3  
    2009/2010 World Allround Championships 10000m3  
    2016/2017 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit 8 Laps4  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit 8 Laps4  
    2016/2017 World Single Distances Championships 10000m4  
    2009/2010 World Allround Championships Allround4  
    2015/2016 World Allround Championships Allround5  
    2022 Olympic Games Team Pursuit5  
    2018/2019 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit 8 Laps5  
    2018/2019 World Single Distances Championships 5000m5  
    2018/2019 World Allround Championships Allround5  
    2015/2016 World Single Distances Championships 5000m5  
    2023/2024 World Single Distances Championships 5000m5  
    2016/2017 World Single Distances Championships 5000m5  
    2014/2015 World Single Distances Championships 10000m6  
    2014/2015 World Single Distances Championships 5000m6  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships 10000m6  
    2018 Olympic Games Team Pursuit 8 Laps7  
    2019/2020 World Allround Championships Allround7  
    2007/2008 European Championships Allround8  
    2022 Olympic Games 10000m8  
    2011/2012 European Championships Allround9  
    2022 Olympic Games 5000m10  
    2011/2012 World Allround Championships Allround14  
    2012/2013 European Championships Allround15  
    2014/2015 World Allround Championships Allround16  
    2017/2018 World Allround Championships Allround16  
    2022/2023 World Single Distances Championships 5000m18  
    2021/2022 World Allround Championships Allround20  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2017/2018 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m1  
    2017/2018 Salt Lake City, UT Team Pursuit 8 Laps1  
    2015/2016 Calgary, AB Team Pursuit 8 Laps1  
    2015/2016 Salt Lake City, UT 10000m1  
    2016/2017 Berlin 5000m1  
    2023/2024 Quebec, QC 5000m1  
    2017/2018 Salt Lake City, UT 5000m1  
    2016/2017 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m2  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m2  
    2021/2022 Tomaszów Mazowiecki Team Pursuit2  
    2016/2017 Astana Team Pursuit 8 Laps2  
    2019/2020 Nur-Sultan Team Pursuit 8 Laps2  
    2020/2021 Heerenveen Team Pursuit 8 Laps2  
    2016/2017 Stavanger 5000m2  
    2023/2024 Stavanger 10000m2  
    2021/2022 Tomaszów Mazowiecki 5000m2  
    2019/2020 Calgary, AB 5000m2  
    2017/2018 Stavanger 10000m2  
    2017/2018 Calgary, AB 5000m2  
    2017/2018 Heerenveen 5000m2  
    2007/2008 Baselga di Piné Team Pursuit 8 Laps2  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m3  
    2018/2019 Salt Lake City, UT 5000m3  
    2015/2016 Calgary, AB 5000m3  
    2018/2019 Hamar 5000m3  
    2019/2020 Nagano Team Pursuit 8 Laps3  
    2021/2022 Calgary, AB Team Pursuit3  
    2016/2017 Heerenveen 10000m3  
    2020/2021 Heerenveen Team Pursuit 8 Laps3  
    2021/2022 Stavanger 10000m3  
    2019/2020 Heerenveen 5000m3  
    2015/2016 Stavanger 5000m3  
    2023/2024 Salt Lake City, UT 5000m3  
    2021/2022 Calgary, AB 5000m3  
    2016/2017 Astana 5000m3  
    2017/2018 Erfurt 5000m3  
    2015/2016 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m4  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m4  
    2017/2018 World Cup Classification Overall5  
    2008/2009 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m6  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m7  
    2012/2013 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m8  
    2015/2016 World Cup Classification Overall11  
    2016/2017 World Cup Classification Overall12  
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification 5000m15  
    2014/2015 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m16  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m21  
    2016/2017 World Cup Classification 1500m27  
    2015/2016 World Cup Classification 1500m28  
    2011/2012 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m28  
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification 1500m29  
    2017/2018 World Cup Classification 1500m31  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 1500m34  
    2010/2011 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m35  
    2014/2015 World Cup Classification 1500m36  
    2007/2008 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m38  
    2012/2013 World Cup Classification Overall43  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 1500m59