Dutch short track star Suzanne Schulting will not compete at the World Championships in Montreal, the KNSB (Royal Netherlands Skating Federation) announced Monday. The decision, made by national coach Niels Kerstholt, comes as Schulting prepares to compete at the World Sprint Championships in Heerenveen this week.
Schulting, a ten-time world champion, had expressed interest in participating in both events, but Kerstholt opted to prioritize other athletes for the World Championships, which run from March 13th to 15th. “I can live with the choice,” Schulting posted on Instagram, as reported by NOS. “Of course, I would have liked to have ridden, but I can only accept and respect this decision.”
The women’s short track team heading to Montreal will consist of Xandra Velzeboer, Michelle Velzeboer, Selma Poutsma, Zoe Deltrap, and Diede van Oorschot, according to Eurosport. Van Oorschot was not part of the team at the recent Milan Cortina 2026 games.
Itzhak de Laat, an Olympic gold medalist in the mixed team relay at the Milan games, was also not selected for the World Championships. De Laat had indicated that his career was nearing its finish, according to RTL Nieuws. Kerstholt explained his decision regarding de Laat’s omission by highlighting the form of Kay Huisman, stating, “Kay is showing in training that he is in top form and I also want him to gain the experience of this World Championship with a view to the future.”
Kerstholt also justified the selection of Diede van Oorschot, noting her consistent training and contributions to the relay team throughout the season. The coach has assigned the individual start places in the 1000m and 1500m events to Xandra and Michelle Velzeboer.
Schulting’s focus now shifts to the World Sprint Championships, where she qualified as the national champion. The KNSB’s decision not to include her in the Montreal team follows a season where she has balanced short track and long-track speed skating commitments.
