Jorien ter Mors won the Dutch title in the 1,500 meters for the fourth time in her career on Friday. Eight-time champion Ireen Wüst finished fourth and is not on the podium of the skating mile for the first time since 2004.
The thirty-year-old Ter Mors had a hard time in the final round, but with a time of 1.55.50 she was left enough to stay ahead of her opponent Antoinette de Jong. The Frisian took the silver in 1.55.98.
Defending champion Melissa Wijfje, who surprised last season by taking the NK title in the 1,500 meters for the first time, had to settle for bronze in 1.56.66.
Wüst clocked 1.56.72 and was 6 hundredths short for a podium place. The 34-year-old from Brabant, who has been riding for Team Reggeborgh since this year, has consistently won a medal in the 1,500 meters at the NK distances over the past fifteen years. After eight gold, six silver and one bronze, it was now fourth, just like in 2004.
Ter Mors is finally pain free
Ter Mors, who also became Dutch champion in the 1,500 meters in 2013, 2015 and 2017, started a season pain-free for the first time in years. The 2014 Olympic champion in the 1,500 meters and the reigning Olympic champion in the 1,000 meters had suffered a lot from her right knee in recent years, the joint that she underwent surgery on in 2018.
The NK distances is the start of the skating season that has been considerably modified by the corona pandemic. The tournament in an empty Thialf lasts until Sunday.
The first four World Cups of the winter, which were scheduled for November and December, have been canceled, so that the NK is not a qualifying moment and only titles can be earned.
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