Heather Bergsma

Hero / Idol

US speed skater Joey Cheek. (Athlete, 10 Dec 2013)

When and where did you begin this sport?

She began inline skating at age nine, and switched to speed skating in 2007.

Sporting philosophy / motto	"What you put in is what you get out." (Athlete, 10 Dec 2013)
Other sports	She has competed in roller speed skating for the United States of America, winning gold in the 500m sprint at the 2005 World Championships. (blading.at.webry.info 13 Dec 2009; usarollersports.org, 30 Jan 2009)
Most influential person in career	US speed skater Derek Parra. (Athlete, 10 Dec 2013)
Other information	CAREER BREAK In April 2018 she announced that she was taking a two-year break from speed skating to focus on other things, including starting a family with husband Jorrit Bergsma. She announced she was pregnant in May 2018. "We will see if and what will happen. I want to learn the Dutch language fluently, I want to go cycling and maybe coach young children. I will see if I have the drive to continue [speed skating]." (schaatsen.nl, 13 May 2018; 12 Apr 2018; olympics.nbcsports.com, 11 Apr 2018) HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT In 2017 she became the first speed skater of either gender to win world titles in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m events. She claimed gold in the 1000m and 1500m at the 2017 World Single Distances Championships in Gangneung, Republic of Korea, to add to the 500m title she won at the 2015 World Single Distances Championships in Heerenveen, Netherlands. (teamusa.org, 12 Feb 2017; SportsDeskOnline, 11 Feb 2018) MOVE TO THE NETHERLANDS In 2014 she moved to Aldeboarn, Netherlands, to begin living with her husband Jorrit Bergsma. "I'm starting to feel at home in the Netherlands. At first, I missed being here [in the United States of America] all the time. That surprised me. I didn't think it would be that way. I thought I would move there, and skate, and it would feel like home. But I did miss America at first, and I think that was mostly the language," she said in 2017. (greensboro.com, 21 Apr 2017; nos.nl, 29 Oct 2014)

Reason for choosing this sport

She was first introduced to skating by her parents, who were involved in the sport. She switched from inline to speed skating so she could compete at the Olympic Winter Games.

Injuries	She had knee surgery in 2011. (usatoday.com, 30 Jan 2013) She broke her collarbone in 2010. (usatoday.com, 30 Jan 2013)
Famous relatives	Her husband Jorrit Bergsma won a silver medal in speed skating at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. He previously won two medals [one gold, one bronze] at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. (nbcolympics.com, 10 Oct 2017; omropfryslan.nl, 08 Feb 2018; SportsDeskOnline, 15 Feb 2018; 11 Feb 2018)

www.speedskatingheather.com/
www.facebook.com/OfficialHeatherRichardson
twitter.com/hlynnrichardson

Hobbies	Spending time with her husband, watching television. (greensboro.com, 21 Apr 2017)
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs	She applies lip balm before stepping onto the ice. (nbcolympics.com, 10 Oct 2017)