Sanne in 't Hof

Club / Team

Gewest Fryslan [NED] / DNIJ [NED]:

Hobbies	Cycling, hiking in the mountains, spending time with family and friends, rock climbing, skiing. (Athlete, 15 Nov 2023)
Injuries	She competed at the 2023 World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Heerenveen, Netherlands, despite a bone bruise and inflammation in her knee. (schaatsen.nl, 31 Oct 2023) In 2019 she required surgery due to chronic tonsillitis. (schaatsen.nl, 08 Nov 2021) In 2015 she fractured her left forearm at a training camp in Inzell, Germany. She required surgery and had two metal plates inserted into her arm. Six weeks after the injury, she was competing again with a cast on her arm. (Athlete, 22 Nov 2021) In 2013 she fractured the T12 vertebra in her back after a fall on the ice and was unable to walk for six weeks. (Athlete, 22 Nov 2021)
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs	She wears a necklace featuring a skate, which was a gift from her parents on her 16th birthday. She also puts on her left skate first and wears the same sports bra for each race. (Athlete, 17 Nov 2023, 22 Nov 2021)
Memorable sporting achievement	Placing seventh in the 5000m at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (Athlete, 13 Feb 2023)

Reason for choosing this sport

"I went to the ice rink with my parents because it was very close to where we live. It was only a 10-minute bike ride. We also went skating with our school, that was something our school did every year. I really loved it and I wanted to do it more often, so together with my parents we went every weekend on Sunday morning."

Most influential person in career	Her father. (Athlete, 22 Nov 2021)
Ambitions	To win gold in the 5000m at the Olympic Winter Games and the world championships. (Athlete, 17 Nov 2023)

Name of coach	Ingo Bos [Gewest Fryslan], GER; Johan de Wit [personal], NED
When and where did you begin this sport?	She took up the sport in 2004 at age six in Deventer, Netherlands.

Nicknames	San, Sannie (Athlete, 22 Nov 2021)
Sporting philosophy / motto	"Never ever give up, nothing is impossible. Follow your dreams, work hard, but most of all have fun and enjoy. Nothing in life is promised, so take in every experience that you get. Follow your own path, learn to listen to your body and do what's right for you." (Athlete, 22 Nov 2021)
Other information	TEAM PROJECT In 2023 she joined the Team Gold project of Dutch coach Johan de Wit. The team also includes other international skaters such as Japan's Miho Takagi. She continues to represent the Gewest Fryslan team in the Netherlands while training with Team Gold, which includes attending camps in Japan. "I was looking for an extra incentive and I found it with Johan. We train at a very high level, partly because we ride with the men. I learn a lot from the foreign culture and the way they experience top sport and train. They help me, but I can help them too. Johan wanted to see how I could improve. The individual approach but also the training in a team really appealed to me. We have therefore decided that I will organise the training blocks abroad with Team Gold. As soon as I am back in the Netherlands [from the team base in Obihiro, Japan] in the run-up to a national championship or important competition, I will return to my familiar home base. I have learned a lot about myself and now know which training courses work for me. That is not always in line with the science of skating. It is sometimes difficult for a trainer to believe. I followed schedules and did things that were supposed to work but they didn't work for me. [De Wit] respects me and looks at what I need." (schaatsen.nl, 31 Oct 2023, 08 May 2023)

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Hero / Idol

Dutch speed skaters Sven Kramer and Yvonne van Gennip. (Athlete, 15 Nov 2023)