“For my father, the Olympics is a bit of a headache file,” says Joep Wennemars (NED). Last season the 22-year-old followed his father Erben’s footsteps, winning the 1000m World Title in Hamar. Erban Wennemars was a two-time World Sprint Champion, and also took World Distance Titles in the 1000m (2), 1500m and Team Pursuit (3). At the Olympic Games Wennemars senior had to settle for a total of two bronze medals, however.

Joep Wennemars during the ISU World Speed Skating Single Distances and Team Competitions Championships 2025 in Hamar, Norway © Getty Images

Erben Wennemars competes in the Men's 1000m during the 2007 ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships in Utah, USA © Getty Images

Unfinished business

“It doesn’t bother him, that he never won Olympic gold, at least not anymore,” Joep explains. “But it’s just a shame that someone with such a great list of honors never managed to win at the right moment. He was always unlucky at the Games.” 

At the Olympic Games in Nagano 1998, Erben Wennemars was hit by his crashing Norwegian pair-mate in the 500m. The Dutchman dislocated his shoulder and wasn’t able to participate in the other distances. Four years later in Salt Lake City, he finished fifth in the 1000m, and at the 2006 Games in Torino, he finally managed to step up to the podium, with bronze medals in the 1000m and the Team Pursuit. Gold would always be an unfulfilled dream.

“Within the family the Olympic Games feel like unfinished business,” Joep Wennemars says.

As a reigning World Champion, Joep Wennemars starts the Olympic season as one of the favorites in the 1000m. He started his 2025-2026 campaign winning the Dutch national title in a personal best time of 1 minute 7.17s. He thus qualified for the first for World Cups, but the real test comes at the Dutch Olympic trials in December. Wennemars said:

“You first have to make sure to qualify and unfortunately being World Champion gives you zero point zero guarantees.”

Joep Wennemars with his dad Erben Wennemwars during the ISU World Speed Skating Single Distances and Team Competitions Championships 2025 in Hamar, Norway © Getty Images

Unburdened

For Joep, winning the World Title in Hamar felt as a bit of a relief. He explains:

“Let me begin to say that it [the comparison to his father] is not something that’s bothered me day-in day-out. When you start to skate fast as a kid, people always compare you to your father, and I’ve always felt that inner pressure to prove myself. Then there’s also the outside pressure. I’ve always felt that I had found a way to deal with it, and not let it bother me too much, but then, when you win the World Title, you suddenly realize, hey, it’s actually pretty chill to be able to let it run off my back, that I’ve made a name for myself now to build upon."

For Joep, having an eight-time World Champion as a father, was neither good or bad.

“[The extra pressure] is a fact and you don’t change anything about it. It also handed me a lot of advantages. Some doors might open a bit easier. Maybe there’s more enemies, but there’s more friends too. I’ve never had the innocence of a young prodigy who makes his debut at a senior championship. Now that I’ve ticked that box, I may skate a bit more unburdened.”