Moniek Kleinsman
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
3 November 1982 Bentelo, Netherlands |
||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Netherlands | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Speed skating | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Moniek Kleinsman (born 3 November 1982) is a Dutch speed skater who was born in Bentelo, Overijssel, and currently resides in Wolvega. She competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Kleinsman got her first speed skating lessons at the age of four. A few years later, when she was getting more serious into the sport she was mainly focussing on short track speed skating, just like her brother. However, at the age of twelve she decided to concentrate on long track speed skating instead.
After competing among the seniors for a few years her breakthrough came in the 2004–05 season, when she won the Dutch national allround championships. That season she appeared on World Cup meets, became 7th at the European allround championships, followed by an eighth position at the World allround championships. Finally, at the KNSB Dutch Single Distance Championships she won two bronze medals over 3000 and 5000 metres.
On 28 December 2005 Kleinsman qualified herself for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin at the 3000 metres. It was the third time behind Ireen Wüst and Renate Groenewold. A second try to qualify for the race over 5000 metres fails as she became fourth, however she skated a personal best time that day.
Prior to the 2006 Winter Olympics Kleinsman became under pressure by the Dutch media as it was unsure whether 2002 Winter Olympics silver medalist Gretha Smit could participate at the Olympic 5000 metres race. Smit finished third at the Dutch qualifying competition where only the first and second rider automatically qualified. The third spot had to be won during the Olympic 3000 metres race. To accomplish this three Dutch riders had to finish among the first 16 riders on the distance. Ireen Wüst and Renate Groenewold were expected to do this and indeed reached their goal with Wüst even winning the gold medal. Kleinsman was expected to reach the first 16 as well, but there were some doubts by analysts and the pressure on Kleinsman rose.
...
Wikipedia