Esmee Visser

Club / Team

Team IKO: Netherlands

Hobbies

Spending time with family and friends, mountain biking, cooking. (sportstories.nl, 25 Apr 2020; FISU YouTube channel, 31 Jan 2020)

Name of coach

Martin ten Hove [club], NED; Erwin ten Hove [club], NED

Other information	PYEONGCHANG 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 honours	In 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)

www.facebook.com/esmee.m.visser
twitter.com/esmee_visser

Injuries	She 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 achievement	Winning gold in the 5000m at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)

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."

Most influential person in career

Her parents. (Athlete, 21 Nov 2018)

When and where did you begin this sport?

She began skating at age eight in Leiden, Netherlands.

Sporting philosophy / motto	"Go for it. Do what you like. No pain no gain!" (Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)
Hero / Idol	Swiss tennis player Roger Federer. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2019)
Ambitions	To win a gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (schaatsen.nl, 10 Apr 2020)