Sjinkie Knegt

Injuries

In January 2019 he sustained serious burns to his face, chest, legs, and feet after his clothes caught fire during a domestic accident. He required a skin transplant on both his legs later in the month. He returned to competitive short track in February 2020. (isu.org, 14 Feb 2020, 12 Jan 2019) In December 2018 he suffered a serious calf muscle injury after an accident with a fork lift truck. (ad.nl, 14 Dec 2020; schaatsen.nl, 11 Jan 2019) He broke three ribs after a heavy fall at the 2016 World Cup event in Dordrecht, Netherlands. He also suffered injuries to his lung, liver, and spleen in the incident. (omropfryslan.nl, 28 Sep 2016; nos.nl, 13 Feb 2016) A fever meant he was unable to compete at the 2016 National Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (schaatsen.nl, 03 Jan 2016) In August 2013 he tore cartilage in his left knee and was forced to have surgery. (nos.nl, 1berp 2013)

sjinkieknegt.nl/
www.facebook.com/sjinkie.knegt
twitter.com/sjinkieknegt

When and where did you begin this sport?	He began skating in 1999 in Heerenveen, Netherlands.
Name of coach	Niels Kerstholt [national], NED
Reason for choosing this sport	He was encouraged to take up the sport by a coach. "I love short track because of the game. You compete against four or five people and not against the clock like speed skating."
Club / Team	Shorttrack Club Thialf: Heerenveen, NED

Ambitions	To compete at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. (nu.nl, 27 Sep 2022)
Sporting philosophy / motto	"Pressure does not make you skate faster." (isu.org, 09 Mar 2017)
Other sports	He has competed in international level autocross events. (trouw.nl, 01 Aug 2022; schaatsen.nl, 27 May 2018)
Milestones	His bronze medal in the 1000m at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi was the Netherlands' first Olympic medal in short track. In 2017 he became the first Dutch short track skater to win individual gold over a single distance at the world championships when he triumphed in the 500m. (SportsDeskOnline, 26 Jan 2021; nrc.nl, 11 Mar 2017; isu.org, 15 Feb 2014)
Awards and honours	He was named Best Male Short Track Skater in the Netherlands at the 2018 Ard Schenk Awards Gala. (schaatsen.nl, 20 Mar 2018) He was named Male Short Track Athlete of the Year in 2015/16 by the Royal Dutch Skating Association [KNSB]. (schaatsen.nl, 07 Apr 2016) He was named the 2015 Sportsman of the Year in the Netherlands. (nos.nl, 23 Dec 2015)
Other information	LASTING BURNS He continues to be affected by burns he suffered during a domestic accident in January 2019. By the end of 2020 he felt he was operating at about 75% of his best, and he still experiences itching in his legs when standing still after a racing day. "And if I get up quickly after a whole night's sleep, I also have to take it easy. The skin is still thin, it cannot handle the force of the blood. The body has to let you know when it is ready to move." (ad.nl, 14 Dec 2020) FOUNDATION In 2019 he set up the Sjinkie Knegt Foundation to support people that have sustained serious burns. He founded the organisation after he required hospital treatment following a domestic accident in January 2019. (sjinkiefoundation.nl, 01 Feb 2019) AUTOCROSS RACER He made his autocross international debut in 2018 in Rutenbrock, Germany. "In our village we always had an autocross competition and I thought it was fantastic. The past four years [speaking in 2018] I have gone with my friends to international meets so I was infected with it a little. I said, 'I want to try this too'. Autocross for me is the best relaxation there is. Between [short track] training sessions and every evening I am working on the car. When I'm at training camp, I miss tinkering and want to go home quickly." (trouw.nl, 01 Aug 2022; schaatsen.nl, 27 May 2018)