Viktor Hald Thorup

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Training Regime	"Even though my profession as of right now [speaking in 2021] is ice skating, I still spend the majority of my time training on the wheels. I spend 80% of my training time on inline skating."
Reason for choosing this sport	He was involved in inline skating for a number of years, but liked the idea of racing against the clock on ice better. "I kept inline skating, I made it to the national and international level, and that's when I realised that I might have a shot in making it to the Olympics if I switched to ice skating. I decided to do that."
When and where did you begin this sport?	He began inline skating as a child in Denmark. "As a kid, I was always the shortest and smallest in my class. Like most European boys, I joined the local football club, but never had any desire or talent for it. However, in skating it didn't take height or size to go fast, and when my mum read about a local inline club in the newspapers, she talked me into giving it a shot. In a short time, I developed a passion for skating." He took up speed skating in 2012 after he was invited to participate in a junior national camp in Inzell, Germany.

Other sports	He competed in roller speed skating at junior international level. (b.dk, 29 Apr 2013)
Most influential person in career	Coaches Jens Normark and Jesper Carlson. (Athlete, 17 Nov 2018)
Hero / Idol	US speed skater Joey Mantia. (Athlete, 17 Nov 2018)
Sporting philosophy / motto	"Train hard, keep believing." (Athlete, 17 Nov 2018)
Hobbies	Vlogging. (YouTube channel, 24 Oct 2022)
Injuries	At age 14 his foot became infected. He was out of action for four weeks. (Athlete, 17 Nov 2018)
Famous relatives	His wife Sofia Prosvirnova competed in short track at the Olympic Winter Games in 2014, 2018, and 2022. (SportsDeskOnline, 26 Oct 2022; Instagram profile, 10 Sep 2022)
Other information	OCCUPATION He and former inline skater Magnus Asping run TopSkate Danmark, an inline skating equipment and clothing company. He also has a coaching business that offers tailored training and nutrition advice. (YouTube channel, 24 Oct 2022; Facebook profile, 19 Oct 2022; II-Coaching Facebook page, 04 Dec 2020; topskate.dk, 01 Aug 2020; Topskate Facebook page, 28 Jun 2020) TIME IN FRANCE At age 15 he moved to Toulouse, France, where he lived with a host family and began training with inline skating world champion Pascal Briand. He completed his high school studies there in 2012. (viktorthorup.com, 28 Dec 2014)