Jan Blokhuijsen (; born 1 April 1989) is an Olympic award-winning Dutch long-track

speed skater Speed skating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors racing, race each other in travelling a certain distance on Ice skate, skates. Types of speed skating are long-track speed skating, short-track speed skating, and marath ...

who until 2013 skated for the commercial TVM team.

Career

In 2007, Blokhuijsen got his VWO degree at school. After a successful period in skating and

inline skating Inline skating is a multi-disciplinary sport and can refer to a number of activities practiced using inline skates. Inline skates typically have two to five polyurethane wheels depending on the style of practice, arranged in a single line by a ...

(in which he won several Dutch and European titles at the junior categories and a second place at the world championships in Korea) he decided to focus only on speedskating. In February 2008, he won the Dutch Allround Speed Skating Championships junior title at the ice rink of Groningen. Later in the same month, he became world champion at the junior world championships speedskating, where he finished in front of his teammates

Koen Verweij Koen Verweij (; born 26 August 1990) is a former Dutch speed skater and inline speed skater. At the end of the skating season 2008–09 he made a transfer from the Jong Oranje team of the national skating union ( KNSB) to the commercial team of T ...

and Berden de Vries. Together with them he also won the world title at the team pursuit. Blokhuijsen held the

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...

in the

team pursuit The team pursuit is a track cycling event similar to the individual pursuit, except that two teams, each of up to four riders, compete, starting on opposite sides of the velodrome. Race format Both men's and women's events are competed over ...

discipline, along with teammates

Sven Kramer Sven Kramer (; born 23 April 1986) is a retired Dutch long track speed skater who has won an all-time record nine World Allround Championships as well as a record ten European Allround Championships. He is the Olympic champion of the 5000 mete ...

and

. At the

2014 Winter Olympics The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially called the XXII Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Sochi 2014 (), were an international winter multi-sport event that was held from 7 to 23 February 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Opening ro ...

Sochi Sochi ( rus, Сочи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg, from – ''seaside'') is the largest Resort town, resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi (river), Sochi River, along the Black Sea in the North Caucasus of Souther ...

, he won a silver medal in the Men's 5000 m competition. At the 2014 European allround championships in

Hamar Hamar is a List of cities in Norway, town in Hamar Municipality in Innlandet Counties of Norway, county, Norway. Hamar is the administrative centre of Hamar Municipality. It is located in the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Hedmarken. ...

, Blokhuijsen won his first European title.

Controversy

After the team pursuit event at the

2018 Winter Olympics The 2018 Winter Olympics (), officially the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and also known as PyeongChang 2018 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held between 9 and 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Ko ...

in Pyeongchang, Blokhuijsen made a comment during a press conference to the host South Koreans to "treat dogs better in this country", criticizing dog meat consumption in the host nation. Many South Koreans perceived his comment was disrespectful, claiming it was racist and ignorant of Korean culture and the declining dog meat custom in the country. He later gave an apology for this comment on Twitter, which he deleted later.

Records

Personal records

As of 10 March 2020, Blokhuijsen is in 11th position in the adelskalender with a score of 146.253 points. Between 13 February 2011 and 11 October 2013 he held a personal best 6th place.

World records

: * together with

and

Tournament overview

Source:

World Cup overview

Source: :''– = Did not participate'' :''* = 10000 meter'' :''(b) = Division B'' :''DNF = Did not finish'' :''DQ = Disqualified''

Medals won

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blokhuijsen, Jan 1989 births Dutch male speed skaters Speed skaters at the 2010 Winter Olympics Speed skaters at the 2014 Winter Olympics Speed skaters at the 2018 Winter Olympics Olympic speed skaters for the Netherlands Medalists at the 2010 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 2014 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 2018 Winter Olympics Olympic medalists in speed skating Olympic gold medalists for the Netherlands Olympic silver medalists for the Netherlands Olympic bronze medalists for the Netherlands People from Langedijk Living people World Allround Speed Skating Championships medalists World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships medalists Speed skaters from North Holland 20th-century Dutch people 21st-century Dutch sportsmen