Sven Kramer receives special royal award | Ice skating

sport">“I am very grateful. I hope that I have been able to inspire a lot of people, and that they get as much happiness and joy out of it as I did. I am proud of it,” Kramer continued, after he was addressed with honorable words by Minister Helder.

sport">Kramer received the award largely in honor of his exceptional sports achievements. In addition to four times Olympic gold, Kramer won thirty (!) world titles and ten European Championship golds in his career. The born Frisian was already appointed Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2010.

sport">Last month Ireen Wüst already received the Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau award, even higher in rank than Kramer’s honor. Earlier this Saturday, during the World Cup final, Wüst drove the 1500 meters in a packed Thialf, her very last race as a professional speed skater. She then finished fourth, after which she rode a number of laps of honor in front of thousands of frenzied fans. The emotions were clearly visible with the 35-year-old Brabant, who wrote history at the Winter Games in Beijing last month by winning her sixth Olympic title.

sport">Later in the day, Wüst – together with Kramer, who did not qualify for the World Cup final – will be honored in front of the more than 10,000 spectators in the skating temple. This is followed by a large-scale surprise party for invited guests at a nearby location in Heerenveen.

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