Ireen Wüst

Ireen Wüst
	Wüst in 2013
Personal information
Nationality	Dutch
Born	1 April 1986 (age 35); Goirle, Netherlands
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight	63 kg (139 lb)
Website	ireenwust.nl
Sport
Country	Netherlands
Sport	Speed skating
Event(s)	1000 m, 1500 m, 3000 m, 5000 m
Club	IJsclub Tilburg; TVM Schaatsploeg; Reggeborgh
Turned pro	2005
show Medal record
Women's speed skating
Representing the Netherlands
Olympic Games
World Allround Championships
World Sprint Championships
World Single Distance Championships
European Championships

Ireen Wüst (Dutch pronunciation: [iˈreːn ʋyst]; born 1 April 1986) is a Dutch long track allround speed skater.

Wüst is the youngest Dutch Olympic gold medalist in the history of the Winter Games. At the age of nineteen, on 12 February 2006, she won the gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games 3000 metre event; four years later at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games she won the 1500 metre event; at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games she won two gold and three silver medals, making her the most decorated athlete at the Sochi Games.^[1] Following her most recent victory in the 1500 metres at the 2018 Winter Olympics she has won a record eleven Olympic medals, more than any other speed skater, making her the most successful athlete of the Netherlands at the Olympics. She is also a seven-time world allround champion, a fourteen-time world single distance champion, and a five-time European allround champion. In 2014, she was elected by Reuters as the Sportswoman of the World.

Skating career[]

Wüst debuted at the in November 2003 with ninth place in both the 500m and 1500m events. At the end of the season she won the silver medal in the world junior championships in Roseville, Minnesota, USA. The next season she qualified for the during the 2005 KNSB Dutch Single Distance Championships with fifth place in the 1000m and fourth place in the 1500m. With a third place at the 2005 KNSB Dutch Allround Championships she qualified for her first international senior tournament, the 2005 European Championships in Heerenveen. There she came fourth and secured herself a spot in the Dutch team for the 2005 World Allround Championships in Moscow, Russia, where she finished in fifth place. She then became World Junior Champion in Seinäjoki, Finland.

Season 2005–2006[]

Before the start of the season Wüst signed a deal with and started training under the guidance of Gerard Kemkers. At the 2006 KNSB Dutch Single Distance Championships, which also served as the Olympic Trials, Wüst won the 1000m, 1500m and 3000m, which gave her a spot in the Dutch Olympic Team for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. Before the Olympics she started in the 2006 European Championships in Hamar where she won the bronze medal behind Claudia Pechstein of Germany and team mate Renate Groenewold.

Olympic Games in Turin[]

At the 2006 Olympics her first distance was the 3000 metres^[2] where Wüst beat Groenewold and Cindy Klassen of Canada and became the youngest olympic champion from the Netherlands in the history of the Winter Olympics. She missed out the podium in the 1000 metres finishing fourth. At her last event the 1500 metres she won a bronze medal behind Cindy Klassen and Kristina Groves of Canada. At her last event of the season the 2006 World Allround Championships, Wüst finished fourth after she had been ill a few days before the tournament.^[3]

After the end of the season Wüst was elected as the best Dutch Sportswoman of the Year 2006.^[4] She was also elected female skater of the year.

Season 2006–2007[]

Wüst started the season with two titles and one second place at the 2007 Dutch Distance Championships. She also won the 2007 Dutch Allround Championships. At the 2007 European Championships Wüst led the championships after 3 of 4 distances but was beaten by Martina Sáblíková. The next weekend she competed in the 2007 World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Hamar, again winning the silver medal. She became World Allround Champion during the 2007 World Allround Championships for the home crowd in Heerenveen. She won the 2006–07 World Cup in the 1500m after winning two of the six races, as well as the 1000m during the World Cup Final in Calgary. At the 2007 World Distance Championships she won a gold medal in the 1000m, breaking the national record, and another in the 1500m. With Renate Groenewold and Paulien van Deutekom she won silver in the team pursuit behind Canada.

Season 2007–2008[]

After a difficult start to the season Wüst won the European allround title in January 2008.^[5] Her main competitor this year was Paulien van Deutekom. Wüst finished second behind van Deutekom during the World Allround Championships in Berlin. In Nagano during the 2008 World Distance Championships she won the gold medal in the team pursuit alongside Groenewold and Van Deutekom. Wüst won only one world race this season, the 1500m in Hamar.

2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver[]

At the 2010 Winter Olympics she won a gold medal in the 1500 metres.^[6]

2014 Olympic Games in Sochi[]

At the 2014 Winter Olympics she won gold medals in the 3000 metres and in the team pursuit, and silver medals in the 1000m, 1500m and 5000m.^[7]^[8]

2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang[]

At the 2018 Winter Olympics she won a gold medal in the 1500 metres and a silver medal in the 3000 metres. Her 1500m gold medal was her fourth consecutive medal at this distance at the Olympics, and this was the fourth Olympics in a row in which she won an individual gold medal, the first time this was achieved by a Winter Olympian.^[9] She also became the second speed skater to win the Olympic 1500 metres twice (after Lidiya Skoblikova in 1960 and 1964), and the first Dutch athlete to win five gold medals and ten medals overall at the Olympics.^[10] She also became the first speed skater, male or female, to win eleven Olympic medals, and the first female Winter Olympian to win nine individual medals.

Personal records[]

Event	Result	Date	Location	Notes
Personal records^[11]
Women's speed skating
500m	38.44	9 February 2007	Heerenveen
1000m	1:12.64	15 February 2020	Salt Lake City
1500m	1:50.718	10 March 2019	Salt Lake City	ER
3000m	3:58.01	12 February 2011	Calgary
5000m	6:54.28	19 February 2014	Sochi
Team pursuit	2:56.02	17 November 2013	Salt Lake City	ER

She is currently in 4th position on the adelskalender^[12] with a score of 156.436 points.

Tournament overview[]

Season	Dutch Championships Single Distances	Dutch Championships Sprint	Dutch Championships Allround	European Championships Allround	World Championships Allround	World Championships Sprint	World Championships Single Distances	Olympic Games	World Cup GWC	World Championships Junior Allround	European Championships Single Distances
2003–2004	9th 500m 9th 1500m									ROSEVILLE 11th 500m 1500m 1000m 3000m overall Team pursuit
2004–2005	5th 1000m 4th 1500m		500m 5th 3000m 1500m 5th 5000m overall	HEERENVEEN 7th 500m 3000m 1500m 6th 5000m 4th overall	MOSCOW 5th 500m 4th 3000m 1500m 6th 5000m 5th overall				28th 1500m	SEINÄJOKI 500m 1500m 1000m 3000m overall Team pursuit
2005–2006	1000m 1500m 3000m			HAMAR 5th 500m 4th 3000m 1500m 4th 5000m overall	CALGARY 5th 500m 7th 3000m 1500m 7th 5000m 4th overall			TURIN 4th 1000m 1500m 3000m 6th Team pursuit	7th 1000m 1500m 25th 3/5 km 5th Team pursuit
2006–2007	4th 500m 1000m 1500m 3000m		500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	COLLALBO 500m 3000m 1500m 6th 5000m overall	HEERENVEEN 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	HAMAR 14th 500m 1000m 10th 500m 1000m overall	SALT LAKE CITY 1000m 1500m 5th 3000m Team pursuit		29th 500m 6th 1000m 1500m 6th 3/5 km Team pursuit
2007–2008	8th 500m 1000m 1500m 4th 3000m	5th 500m 1000m 4th 500m 1000m overall	500m 3000m 4th 1500m 5000m overall	KOLOMNA 4th 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	BERLIN 500m 4th 3000m 1500m 4th 5000m overall	HEERENVEEN 19th 500m 1000m 19th 500m 1000m 6th overall	NAGANO 9th 1000m 7th 1500m Team pursuit		42nd 500m 1000m 1500m 7th 3/5 km
2008–2009	10th 500m 6th 1000m 1500m DQ 3000m	13th 500m 7th 1000m DNS 500m DNQ 1000m NC overall	500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	HEERENVEEN 6th 500m 7th 3000m 4th 1500m 5th 5000m 6th overall	HAMAR 500m 7th 3000m 1500m 8th 5000m overall		VANCOUVER 1500m Team pursuit		36th 1000m 6th 1500m Team pursuit
2009–2010	6th 500m 5th 1000m 1500m 3000m			HAMAR 4th 500m 3000m 1500m 5th 5000m overall	HEERENVEEN 6th 500m 3000m 1500m 7th 5000m overall			VANCOUVER 8th 1000m 1500m 7th 3000m 6th Team pursuit	53rd 500m 19th 1000m 6th 1500m 9th 3/5 km 5th Team pursuit
2010–2011	NC 500m 5th 1000m 1500m 3000m	5th 500m 1000m 8th 500m 1000m 4th overall		COLLALBO 6th 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	CALGARY 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	HEERENVEEN 13th 500m 1000m 16th 500m 1000m 7th overall	INZELL 1000m 1500m 3000m Team pursuit		5th 1000m 1500m 9th 3/5 km Team pursuit
2011–2012	1000m 1500m 3000m	8th 500m 1000m 9th 500m 1000m 5th overall		BUDAPEST 500m 5th 3000m 6th 1500m 5000m overall	MOSCOW 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall		HEERENVEEN 5th 1000m 1500m 3000m Team pursuit		5th 1000m 1500m 8th 3/5 km 6th Team pursuit Grand World Cup
2012–2013	6th 1000m 1500m 3000m	10th 500m 1000m 11th 500m 1000m 5th overall	500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	HEERENVEEN 4th 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	HAMAR 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall		SOCHI 1000m 1500m 3000m 5000m Team pursuit		12th 1000m 1500m 6th 3/5 km Team pursuit Grand World Cup
2013–2014	1000m 1500m 3000m	8th 500m 1000m 7th 500m DQ 1000m NC overall		HAMAR 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	HEERENVEEN 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall			SOCHI 1000m 1500m 3000m 5000m Team pursuit	6th 1000m 1500m 6th 3/5 km Team pursuit Grand World Cup
2014–2015	1000m 1500m 3000m	13th 500m 1000m DNS 500m DNS 1000m NC overall	500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	CHELYABINSK 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	CALGARY 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall		HEERENVEEN 4th 1000m 1500m 3000m Team pursuit		6th 1000m 4th 1500m 3/5 km Team pursuit 4th Grand World Cup
2015–2016	1000m 1500m 3000m	11th 500m 1000m 12th 500m 1000m 6th overall		MINSK 500m 3000m 1500m 4th 5000m overall	BERLIN 4th 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall		KOLOMNA 6th 1000m 4th 1500m 3000m Team pursuit		20th 1500m 17th 3/5 km Team pursuit
2016–2017	10th 500m 1000m 1500m 3000m	5th 500m 1000m 5th 500m 1000m overall		HEERENVEEN 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall	HAMAR 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall		GANGNEUNG 1500m 3000m Team pursuit		11th 1000m 4th 1500m 9th 3/5 km Team pursuit
2017–2018	1000m 1500m 3000m				AMSTERDAM 9th 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall			GANGNEUNG 9th 1000m 1500m 3000m Team pursuit	16th 1000m 7th 1500m 12th 3/5 km Team pursuit
2018–2019	1000m 1500m 3000m			COLLALBO 4th 500m 7th 3000m 5th 1500m 7th 5000m 4th overall	CALGARY 500m 6th 3000m 1500m 7th 5000m 5th overall		INZELL 1500m 5th 3000m Team pursuit		53rd 500m 8th 1000m 1500m 24th 3/5 km 4th Team pursuit Team sprint
2019–2020	1000m 1500m 5th 3000m				HAMAR 4th 500m 3000m 1500m 5000m overall		SALT LAKE CITY 4th 1000m 1500m Team pursuit		14th 1000m 1500m		HEERENVEEN 5th 1000m 1500m Team pursuit Team sprint
2020–2021	1000m 4th 1500m 5th 3000m	12th 500m 4th 1000m 10th 500m 1000m 6th overall					HEERENVEEN 5th 1500m Team pursuit		5th 1000m 1500m Team pursuit

Source:^[13] ^[14] ^[15]

World Cup overview[]

Season	500 meter
2004–2005
2005–2006
2006–2007	8th	–	14th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2007–2008	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1st(b)
2008–2009
2009–2010
2010–2011
2011–2012
2012–2013
2013–2014
2014–2015
2015–2016
2016–2017
2017–2018
2018–2019
2019–2020
2020–2021

Season	1000 meter
2004–2005
2005–2006	6th	–	–	–	–
2006–2007				–	–	–	–	–	–
2007–2008	7th	8th	12th	6th	4th					4th
2008–2009	16th	13th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2009–2010	1st(b)	5th	16th	–	–	–	16th
2010–2011		5th	–	–	–	–
2011–2012	11th	5th	7th		5th		–
2012–2013	–	–	–	–	–	5th			–
2013–2014	7th		–	–	–
2014–2015		6th	–	4th	5th	–	–
2015–2016
2016–2017	5th	6th	–	5th	–	–	–
2017–2018	11th	14th	–	–	4th	–
2018–2019	5th	4th	4th	8th	–	6th
2019–2020	7th	5th	–	10th	–
2020–2021	5th	6th

Season	1500 meter
2004–2005	–	–	–	1st(b)	–
2005–2006	6th	7th	4th	–
2006–2007			–
2007–2008	5th	13th	–	5th		–
2008–2009	8th	7th	–		4th	11th
2009–2010	11th			12th	9th	–
2010–2011			–
2011–2012						–
2012–2013	–*	–	–
2013–2014			–
2014–2015				4th	–	–
2015–2016	–	–	–	–	4th	–
2016–2017			–		–	–
2017–2018	4th	–	4th	–		–
2018–2019	4th				–	4th
2019–2020
2020–2021

Season	3000/5000 meter
2004–2005
2005–2006	–	–	–*	1st(b)	–
2006–2007			–		–*	–
2007–2008	9th	7th	–*		–*	–
2008–2009
2009–2010	11th	6th	–*	6th	4th	–
2010–2011	4th	8th	–*		–*	–
2011–2012		4th	–*		–*	–
2012–2013	8th	–	–		–*
2013–2014		–	–*			–
2014–2015		–*				–
2015–2016	–	–*	–	–		–
2016–2017	7th	5th	–	–*		–
2017–2018	6th	–		–	–
2018–2019	6th	6th	–*
2019–2020
2020–2021

Season	Team pursuit
2004–2005
2005–2006	–		–
2006–2007		–
2007–2008	–	–	–	–
2008–2009			–
2009–2010		–	4th	–
2010–2011		–
2011–2012		DNF	–	–
2012–2013	–	–
2013–2014				–
2014–2015			–
2015–2016
2016–2017		–	–
2017–2018		–	–	–
2018–2019		–	4th
2019–2020			–
2020–2021

Source:^[16]

– = Did not participate

* = 5000m

(b) = Division B

DNF = Did not finish

DQ = Disqualified

NC = No classification

DNQ =Did not qualify

Medals won[]

updated February 2021

Championship	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Dutch Single Distances	18	12	9
Dutch Allround	15	6	6
Dutch Sprint	10	5	2
European Allround	21	16	8
Olympic Games	5	5	1
World Single Distances	15	15	1
World Allround	22	26	11
World Sprint Classification	1	6	0
World Cup	48	39	21
World Cup GWC	9	7	10
World Junior	4	5	1

Personal life[]

Wüst is bisexual, and first discussed being in a relationship with a woman in a 2009 Dutch interview.^[17]

References[]

^ "Ireen WÜST – Olympic Speed skating – Netherlands". International Olympic Committee. 17 February 2018.
^ "Ireen Wust Biography". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
^ "Wüst vierde halverwege WK allround" (in Dutch). Omroep Brabant. 18 March 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
^ "Bos en Wüst sporters van het jaar" (in Dutch). rtl.nl. 12 December 2006. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
^ "Kramer and Wüst win at European Championships". The New York Times. 3 January 2008. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
^ "Results of the 2010 Olympic Games 1500 meters Women". SpeedSkatingStats.com. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
^ Kevin Oklobzija (9 February 2014). "Ireen Wust wins 3,000; Olga Graf claims Russia's first Sochi medal". USA Today.
^ "Speedskating: Versatile Jorien ter Mors beats Ireen Wust, leads another Dutch sweep". The Washington Post. 16 February 2014. Archived from the original on 17 February 2014.
^ "Dutch speed skating GOAT makes Michael Phelpsian Winter Olympics history". Yahoo! Sports. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
^ "Speed skating: Wust powers to 1,500m gold for record 10th medal". Reuters. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
^ https://speedskatingresults.com/index.php?p=17&s=687
^ "Adelskalendern". evertstenlund.se. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^ "Ireen Wüst". SpeedSkatingNews.
^ "Ireen Wüst". speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
^ "Ireen Wüst". schaatsstatistieken.nl. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
^ "Calendar of Events". International Skating Union. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
^ Thomas, June (10 February 2014). "Gold-Medal-Winning Dutch Speedskater Ireen Wüst Doesn't Want to Be a Model Queer". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 6 August 2021.

[1] "Ireen WÜST – Olympic Speed skating – Netherlands". International Olympic Committee. 17 February 2018.

[2] "Ireen Wust Biography". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2010.

[3] "Wüst vierde halverwege WK allround" (in Dutch). Omroep Brabant. 18 March 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2014.

[4] "Bos en Wüst sporters van het jaar" (in Dutch). rtl.nl. 12 December 2006. Retrieved 22 February 2010.

[5] "Kramer and Wüst win at European Championships". The New York Times. 3 January 2008. Retrieved 22 February 2010.

[6] "Results of the 2010 Olympic Games 1500 meters Women". SpeedSkatingStats.com. Retrieved 12 September 2012.

[7] Kevin Oklobzija (9 February 2014). "Ireen Wust wins 3,000; Olga Graf claims Russia's first Sochi medal". USA Today.

[8] "Speedskating: Versatile Jorien ter Mors beats Ireen Wust, leads another Dutch sweep". The Washington Post. 16 February 2014. Archived from the original on 17 February 2014.

[9] "Dutch speed skating GOAT makes Michael Phelpsian Winter Olympics history". Yahoo! Sports. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.

[10] "Speed skating: Wust powers to 1,500m gold for record 10th medal". Reuters. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.

[11] ttps://speedskatingresults.com/index.php?p=17&s=687

[adelskalender-12] "Adelskalendern". evertstenlund.se. Retrieved 3 November 2018.

[13] "Ireen Wüst". SpeedSkatingNews.

[wr-14] "Ireen Wüst". speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved 28 January 2021.

[15] "Ireen Wüst". schaatsstatistieken.nl. Retrieved 28 January 2021.

[16] "Calendar of Events". International Skating Union. Retrieved 16 February 2021.

[Thomas_2014-17] Thomas, June (10 February 2014). "Gold-Medal-Winning Dutch Speedskater Ireen Wüst Doesn't Want to Be a Model Queer". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 6 August 2021.

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