SPEED SKATING
Beune (NED) completes golden hat trick in Hamar
16 Mar 2025
Joy Beune (NED) completed the hat trick she had hoped for at the 24th ISU World Single Distances Championships. After winning gold in the 3000m and Team Pursuit, the 25-year-old took the 1500m title on Sunday. World Cup winner Miho Takagi had to settle for fourth place. Marijke Groenewoud (NED) closed off the tournament with gold in the Mass Start.
Blistering last lap saves the day for Beune
Joy Beune (NED) had one goal when she arrived at the ISU World Single Distances Championships in Hamar.
“That was three gold medals, and I managed,” Beune said with a smile when she stepped off her third podium.
Joy Beune (NED) reacts to the results of the final pairing, which gave her the Mass Start gold medal at the ISU World Single Distances Championships on Sunday. © ISU
She wasn’t smiling after she crossed the 1500m finish line Sunday and saw her time of one minute, 55.28 seconds on the scoreboard.
“I was really unhappy with my time. I thought: this is not enough. I thought I completely ruined it,” she said.
“I had a false start, and then you have to get back into your focus. I got off the block badly, and the 26.1 seconds, that’s a real bad opener. That I’m able to make up for that in the end is bizarre. That last lap was really good.”
At 30.9 seconds, Beune was the only women to stay under 31 seconds in the final lap.
“I thought, if I still want anything, I’ll just have to give it my all now,” she said.
Skating in the second-last pair, Beune feared Miho Takagi (JPN), who had yet to race.
The World Cup Trophy winner from Japan was faster at the 300m, 700m and 1100m splits, entering the final lap with a seemingly solid .96-second cushion.
World Cup Trophy winner Miho Takagi (JPN) faded in the final 1500m pairing to finish fourth at the ISU World Single Distances Championships. © ISU
Takagi, however, couldn’t keep it up.
“When I saw her at the last backstretch, I thought: she’s not going to make it,” Beune said.
“It’s a strange feeling. I’ve got those three medals around my neck. It’s the icing on the cake for this season and I’m already looking forward to next season.”
Beune’s only regret was not being able to defend her 5000m title in Hamar, after failing to qualify at the Dutch National Championships.
“(Before the World Championships), I already set it aside. I thought: I’ve already got that title, and not the others, so that’s what I’ll go for.
“Of course, you never know what could have happened, but I thought that (the medalists in Saturday’s 5000m) skated very fast. But I didn’t skate, so it’s irrelevant.”
Rijpma-De Jong and Han take silver and bronze
With Antoinette Rijpma-De Jong (NED) in second, the Netherlands secured their third 1-2 finish in Hamar, after the women’s 500m and the men’s 1000m.
Antoinette Rijpma-De Jong (NED) took the lead in the eighth pairing and held it until Joy Beune (NED) was .22 seconds faster in the 11th pair. © ISU
Rijpma-De Jong finished just .22 seconds behind Beune.
“It was really close and actually it was quite a good race,” Rijpma-De Jong said. “Of course, it’s a bit of a bummer when you’re too close, but I’m really happy with silver.
“There always are little things where I could have done better to make up for that margin, maybe if I’d had a better opponent, which can push you a little further, but that’s that. You also need a little luck sometimes, but I’m happy as it is.”
Han Mei (CHN) was not happy, even though she took bronze in 1:55.53. The 27-year-old cherished her medal, but she also felt sorry for teammate and mentor Takagi.
Han Mei (CHN) finished third in a time of 1:55.53, just .03 seconds behind the silver medalist. © ISU
“To be honest, I wanted Miho to win the gold medal,” Han said. “I’m not happy, because without Miho, I can't improve, and without her I can't get on the podium.
“She inspires me a lot and I still want her to win medals. After the ceremony, I gave Miho a hug and I cried a little. Miho said, ‘Mei this is not the Olympics, we’ll see next season’.”
Groenewoud recaptures Mass Start crown
After having won the title twice, Marijke Groenewoud (NED) lost her Mass Start crown to Irene Schouten (NED) last year. With Schouten now retired, Groenewoud firmly took control of the distance once more this season.
Marijke Groenewoud (NED) capped a near-perfect season with Mass Start gold on Sunday at the Vikingskipet. © ISU
The 26-year-old won five of the six Mass Start World Cup races this season, and only ended up outside the podium when Greta Myers (USA) completed a successful breakaway in Calgary.
With teammate Elisa Dul (NED) keeping the pack together in Hamar, Groenewoud was able to finish it in the sprint.
“It may be very boring to watch,” Groenewoud said. “But for us it was the perfect execution. We’ve done it a couple of times before this season, so why change tactics for the World Championships?”
With Dul keeping the pace high in the last three laps, Groenewoud made her move to the front 500m from the finish line.
With an extra acceleration, she opened up a little gap at 250m and kept Ivanie Blondin (CAN) and Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) at bay on the final straight. The Canadian and the Italian took silver and bronze.
Although she made it look like a walk in the park, Groenewoud said it felt different.
“If you look at the footage, it may seem easy, but you never know. You have to take it all the way to the finish line. Two weeks ago in Heerenveen, I managed to pip (Blondin) to the line, so …”
This time, Blondin wasn’t able to really threaten Groenewoud.
Ivanie Blondin (CAN), Marijke Groenewoud (NED) and Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) show off their hardware at the Vikingskipet on Sunday. © ISU
“It was a solid race,” Blondin said. “I didn't really have the legs for the final sprint, and I wasn’t being protected at all, so it was a little difficult to kind of make my way through.
“At one point, I think there were two laps left, I got shot all the way back, because there was some bumping happening, as usual. I’m still happy with the outcome, with how I was feeling all week.
“And it makes it a lot easier losing to Marijka, because she’s such a sweetheart.”
Blondin and Groenewoud get along well and even went cycling together in the Netherlands two weeks ago.
“It was really fun,” Blondin said. “She lives pretty close to Sneek, which is one town over (from where Blondin stayed in the Netherlands), so she came down and we did a little bike ride together and had coffee.”
Hamar program
The ISU World Single Distances Championships comprise an action-packed schedule with four days of spectacular skating. The event starts with the 3000m for women and the 5000m for men, followed by the Team Sprint for both genders on Thursday. On Friday, both genders will compete in the Team Pursuit and the 500m. The Saturday program features the 1000m for both genders, the 5000m for women and the Mass Start for men, and the championships conclude with the 1500m for both genders, the men’s 10,000m and the women’s Mass Start on Sunday.
ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series events 2024/25:
Nov 22 - 24, 2024 Nagano / JPN
Nov 29 - Dec 01, 2024 Beijing / CHN
Jan 24 - 26, 2025 Calgary CAN
Jan 31 - Feb 02, 2025 Milwaukee / USA
Feb 21 - 23, 2025 Tomaszów Mazowiecki / POL
Feb 28 - Mar 02, 2025 Heerenveen / NED
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