Print the Biography/Short

Esmee Visser

Netherlands

SportSpeed Skating
FederationIDSSNED22701199601
NOCNetherlands
Born27 Jan 1996 in  Leiden
GenderWomen
ResidenceHeerenveen, NED
OccupationAthlete
LanguagesDutch, English, German
Higher educationPharmacy - Free University of Amsterdam: Netherlands
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 41.42 25 Jan 2020 Heerenveen  
    1000m 1:19.81 19 Jan 2019 Heerenveen  
    1500m 1:57.69 27 Jan 2019 Heerenveen  
    3000m 3:54.02 09 Mar 2019 Salt Lake City, UT  
    5000m 6:45.73 23 Feb 2019 Calgary  
Main Achievements
 
Main Achievements
Olympic Games
Event  
Olympic Games
    5000m 1      
World Junior Championships
Event  
World Junior Championships
    Team Pursuit 1      
World Single Distances Championships
Event  
World Single Distances Championships
    5000m   1 1  
European Single Distances Championships
Event  
European Single Distances Championships
    3000m 2      
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Club / TeamTeam IKO: Netherlands  
General Interest
General Interest
HobbiesSpending time with family and friends, mountain biking, cooking. (sportstories.nl, 25 Apr 2020; FISU YouTube channel, 31 Jan 2020)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachMartin ten Hove [club], NED; Erwin ten Hove [club], NED  
General Interest
General Interest
Other informationPYEONGCHANG BLUES
She won gold in the 5000m at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, but the following day she was already planning for her next goal. "I felt that I should not be concerned with the past, with a snapshot of when I was the best. It felt selfish to praise myself, to say, 'Look, I achieved that'. I may not be a normal athlete in that regard, I always think of others first. And because of that I didn't think enough of myself. It still feels a bit uncomfortable [speaking in 2021], but I can now say that I am a good skater. It is a fact that I have put in good performances in the past and that I can be openly proud of that. It's funny that I've been an Olympic champion for almost four years, but I have only really felt like an Olympic champion for six months." (nu.nl, 27 Oct 2021)

PRE-RACE NERVES
She often gets very nervous ahead of competitions because she wants the race to go perfectly. "I want to do it right. I'm afraid I'm not doing going to do it well enough. Fortunately, I can deal with my nerves better and I manage to calm myself down before the start. I often seek the people around me who can cheer me up. I also see the races more and more like training so I know I don't suddenly have to skate differently or anything." (ad.nl, 31 Oct 2017)
 
Awards and honoursIn March 2018 she was made a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau in recognition of the gold medal she won at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (schaatsen.nl, 26 Mar 2018; lintjes.nl, 01 Jan 2018)  
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/esmee.m.visser  
twitter.com/esmee_visser  
General Interest
General Interest
InjuriesShe was affected by an ankle injury in October 2020. (schaatsen.nl, 24 Oct 2020)

In 2019 she was out of action for three weeks with a foot infection. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)

In March 2017 she ruptured her groin and was out of action for three months. (Athlete, 21 Nov 2018)
 
Memorable sporting achievementWinning gold in the 5000m at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sport"My father was skating already and passed on his love for it to me and my sister. He took us to the ice rink."  
General Interest
General Interest
Most influential person in careerHer parents. (Athlete, 21 Nov 2018)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?She began skating at age eight in Leiden, Netherlands.  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"Go for it. Do what you like. No pain no gain!" (Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)  
Hero / IdolSwiss tennis player Roger Federer. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)  
AmbitionsTo win a gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (schaatsen.nl, 10 Apr 2020)  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2017/2018 European Single Distances Championships 3000m1  
    2019/2020 European Single Distances Championships 3000m1  
    2018 Olympic Games 5000m1  
    2018/2019 World Single Distances Championships 5000m2  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships 5000m3  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships 3000m5  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2018/2019 Obihiro 3000m1  
    2018/2019 Tomaszów Mazowiecki 5000m1  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 3000/5000m2  
    2018/2019 Salt Lake City, UT 3000m2  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 3000/5000m10  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification Mass Start 16 Laps26  
    2017/2018 World Cup Classification 3000/5000m31  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 1500m45