Thomas Krol

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Club / Team	Team Jumbo-Visma: Netherlands
Name of coach	Jac Orie [club], NED
When and where did you begin this sport?	He began skating in 1999 in Deventer, Netherlands.
Reason for choosing this sport	His sister was already involved in the sport.

Most influential person in career	His parents. (Athlete, 23 Nov 2018)
Hero / Idol	Slovak cyclist Peter Sagan. (Athlete, 23 Nov 2018)
Sporting philosophy / motto	"Little work, big achievement." (Athlete, 23 Nov 2018)
Other information	FLYING HIGH He has studied to become a pilot at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. "I think planes are fantastic and I regularly sit at home simulating flights. The study is not a top priority, but I think it is important to have in mind. Many people do not, and I find that quite worrying. I always recommend studying." (schaatsen.nl, 22 Oct 2019) DISTANCE FAVOURITE His favourite distance to race is the 1000m, even though he won gold in the 1500m at the 2019 World Single Distances Championships in Inzell, Germany. "It may sound strange if you are the world champion in the 1500m, but I think the 1000m is the nicest to ride. This is mainly due to the top speed. Would I rather become a world champion in the 1000m? No, absolutely not. The 1500m is the hardest distance and also the royal number. I am very proud of my title." (teamjumbovisma.com, 16 Nov 2019; schaatsen.nl, 22 Oct 2019; insidethegames.biz, 10 Feb 2019; isu.org, 16 Dec 2018)
Hobbies	Flight simulation, playing video games, cycling. (schaatsen.nl, 26 Mar 2020, 22 Oct 2019)
Ambitions	To win a gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (rtlnieuws.nl, 11 Jan 2020)
Famous relatives	His partner Ramona Westerhuis represented the Netherlands in roller speed skating at the 2019 World Roller Games in Barcelona, Spain. (SportsDeskOnline, 10 Nov 2021; schaatsen.nl, 08 Aug 2021)
Awards and honours	In 2019 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Deventer in the Netherlands. (schaatsen.nl, 22 Oct 2019; rtvoost.nl, 20 Feb 2019) He was named the 2016 Male Athlete of the Year in Deventer, Netherlands. (deventerpost.nl, 06 Feb 2017)
Injuries	He was affected by an old hip injury in the lead-up to the 2021 National Single Distances Championships in the Netherlands. (volkskrant.nl, 31 Oct 2021) He tore a muscle in his groin in 2016. (Athlete, 23 Nov 2018) In 2010 he injured the iliopsoas muscle in his hip and was unable to skate for two weeks. (Athlete, 02 Dec 2015)
Memorable sporting achievement	Winning gold in the 1500m at the 2019 World Single Distances Championships in Inzell, Germany. (newsy-today.com, 16 Feb 2021)