Dutch Winter Olympics target is 15 medals, after Sochi record breaking run
The Dutch Winter Olympic team aims to bring back at least 15 medals from Pyeongchang, chef de mission Jeroen Bijl said on Thursday.
‘If we get 13, you can call us to account,’ Bijl, who is leading a 33-strong team to South Korea, said.
At the Sochi Olympics four years ago, the Dutch came home with 24 medals, including 23 of the 36 medals for long track speed skating. The Dutch dominance of long-track speed skating may give rise to high hopes this year, but Bijl warns that ‘it may well not be as easy as people seem to think.’
Sven Kramer, Kjeld Nuis,Jan Smeekens and Ireen Wüst lead the list of Dutch medal hopefuls.
This year, short-tracker Sjinkie Knegt, current European champion over 500, 1,000 and 1,500m and the Netherlands first short-track Olympic medal winner in 2014, is also tipped to pick up a couple.
In addition, Cheryl Maas, one of four athletes who are not taking part in the skating competition, is seen as a potential snowboard medal winner.
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