Jan Smeekens

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Reason for choosing this sport	"It's beautiful to watch. I like the combination of the individual parts of the sport and its aesthetics."
When and where did you begin this sport?	He began skating at age 10 on the canals and lakes in the neighbourhood of Raalte, Netherlands.

Injuries	He began experiencing recurring problems with his back in 2014. (nrc.nl, 10 Feb 2017) He has had issues with the tendons in his groin during his career. (Athlete, 04 Dec 2011)
Memorable sporting achievement	Winning gold in the 500m at the 2017 World Single Distances Championships in Gangneung, Republic of Korea. (schaatsen.nl, 16 Oct 2017)
Hero / Idol	Dutch speed skater Stefan Groothuis. (Athlete, 17 Nov 2012)
Most influential person in career	His parents. (Athlete, 17 Nov 2012)
Sporting philosophy / motto	"Dare to lose." (Athlete, 27 Jan 2017)
Other information	RETIREMENT He announced his retirement from competitive speed skating in March 2020. "I notice that my body is running out. To be honest, I didn't run a race without pain this season. In the last week the feeling of stopping has started to grow more and more. I didn't make the decision overnight and it was well considered. It has been a week with many rational thoughts of pluses and minuses, but I came to the conclusion that it has been beautiful. These feelings played an important role in my decision." (ad.nl, 06 Mar 2020) OLYMPIC BLUES When he crossed the line in the final of the 500m at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, his time appeared to put him in first place. However, it was later downgraded by four hundredths of a second and Smeekens had to settle for silver behind Dutch teammate Michel Mulder. He was also a medal contender for the 500m four years later in Pyeongchang, but a painful crash during his last practice session a day before the race affected his performance and he eventually placed 10th. "I wanted to finish on the podium, but I knew that a miracle was needed. I also know that I do have it in me, but unfortunately it did not come true [in Pyeongchang], the disappointment is really big." (nu.nl, 19 Feb 2018; telegraaf.nl, 10 Feb 2014)
Awards and honours	He was flag bearer for the Netherlands at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (nu.nl, 02 Feb 2018)
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs	"Often I stop listening to music for an hour before competing so my full focus is on my performance." (schaatsen.nl, 08 Feb 2018)
Milestones	He became the first Dutch speed skater, male or female, to win gold in the 500m at the world championships when he claimed victory in the event at the 2017 World Single Distances Championships in Gangneung, Republic of Korea. (SportsDeskOnline, 25 Oct 2017; schaatsen.nl, 16 Oct 2017)