Joep Wennemars

Club / Team

Team Jumbo-Visma: Netherlands

Hobbies	Cycling, supporting Dutch football team PEC Zwolle. (Athlete, 10 Feb 2023; redbull.com, 01 Jan 2022)
Memorable sporting achievement	Winning the allround title at the 2022 World Junior Championships in Innsbruck, Austria. (Athlete, 10 Feb 2023)
Hero / Idol	Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer, US speed skater Eric Heiden. (Athlete, 10 Feb 2023)

Name of coach

Jac Orie [club], NED

Sporting philosophy / motto	"Full throttle." (Athlete, 10 Feb 2023)
Famous relatives	His father Erben Wennemars represented the Netherlands in speed skating, competing at the Olympic Winter Games in 1998, 2002, and 2006. (SportsDeskOnline, 08 Nov 2023; schaatsen.nl, 18 Jun 2023)

Reason for choosing this sport

He was introduced to the sport at a young age as his father was an international speed skater. "Although I was not as strong as my peers, I was fast and agile, which allowed me to excel in most sports. Club sports were my preference, and I especially enjoyed the skating training with the club at the ice rink in Deventer [in the Netherlands]. In high school I had to make a choice [of which sport to pursue] due to a lack of time, and ultimately I chose skating."

Ambitions	To win a medal at the world championships, and to compete at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. (ad.nl, 21 Sep 2023)
Other information	EMULATING HIS HERO Having grown up idolising Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer, he followed in Kramer's footsteps by winning the allround title at the world junior championships in 2022. Kramer claimed the title at the 2005 World Junior Championships. "I certainly don't compare myself with Sven. I would rather strive to be like him, and then I might get somewhere. He was on the Dutch team with my father, and I saw him occasionally. It was inspiring to see him up close." (SportsDeskOnline, 08 Nov 2023; schaatsen.nl, 18 Jun 2023)

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