Femke Kok queen of Milan? Jaap de Groot's prediction

In February, the winter spectacle begins in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Sports journalist Jaap de Groot has dusted off his crystal ball and ventures a prediction: how many times will the Wilhelmus be sung in the Italian snow? If it were up to him, the Netherlands would return home richly rewarded. The country will compete in six […]

In February, the winter spectacle kicks off in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Sports journalist Jaap de Groot has dusted off his crystal ball and ventures a prediction: how many times will the Wilhelmus be played in the Italian snow? If it were up to him, we'd return to our little frog country richly rewarded... 

The Netherlands competes in six of the sixteen Olympic disciplines, but when it comes to medals, De Groot focuses primarily on the ice. "Skeleton, bobsleigh, figure skating, snowboarding—it's great that we're participating, but medals? It would take a small miracle." According to him, only Kimberly Bos, who has previously won bronze and is now the reigning world champion, has a serious chance in skeleton.

The real harvest will come from short track and long track speed skating. "Those are our showpieces. KNSB Technical Director Remy de Wit is aiming for at least ten medals for the skaters, four of which will be gold. But once things get going, it could easily reach eighteen. That flow is invaluable." 

So who will win those gold medals? Femke Kok is head and shoulders above the rest. "She'll win the 500 meters, and probably the 1000 meters too. But imagine if she also wins the 1500 meters... then she'll make history. No woman has ever done that at a single Olympics."

"She'll win the 500 meters, and probably the 1000 as well. But what if she also wins the 1500 meters..." 

Short track speed skating also offers a spectacle: "Xandra Velzeboer is the world champion; she simply has to score. And Suzanne Schulting: yes, despite a chaotic preparation, she qualified at the last minute. But the best go, and she is the best."

One of the stories De Groot characterizes as a "nice boy's story" is that of bobsledder Dave Wesselink. "He really did everything he could to qualify in the last World Cup," he says. "The Dutch bobsled simply wasn't good enough, so he had to borrow a bobsled from Australia, which wasn't competing at the time. And he still qualified."

De Groot expects the Netherlands to win between twenty and twenty-five medals in total, with ten gold medals. His top three? "Femke Kok, Xandra Velzeboer, and Merel Conijn." And the highlight of the Games? "If Kok also wins the 1500 meters. Then she'll be not only queen of Milan, but of skating history."