Sport · Singapore Bureau
Olympic speed skater Leerdam takes season off but rules out retirement
Dutch Olympic champion Jutta Leerdam will sit out the competitive season but remains committed to the sport. The decision comes as she focuses on her long-term career trajectory.
LSN Singapore ·
Dutch speed skating Olympic champion Jutta Leerdam has announced she will not compete during the upcoming season, though she has dismissed suggestions that the move signals the end of her career.
Leerdam, who won Olympic gold in the women's 500 metres event, made the announcement in Amsterdam on Thursday. The decision marks a significant pause for one of the Netherlands' most decorated speed skaters at a time when the sport prepares for its competitive calendar.
While stepping back from competition, Leerdam emphasised that she remains actively involved in speed skating and has not turned her back on the sport entirely. The nature of her absence from competitive events this season was not immediately detailed.
The Dutch speed skating federation has not yet commented on the announcement or its implications for the country's competitive programmes heading into the season.