Irene Schouten is a Dutch speed skater who competes in all-round, marathon, and inline-skating events. On 2 March 2014 Schouten finished in third place at the 2014 Dutch All-round Championships and qualified for the 2014 World All-round Championships in Thialf, Heerenveen. At the 2018 Winter Olympic Games she won the bronze medal in the mass start event.

She won the European title mass start in her first European Championship distances in 2020. She won bronze in the mass start at her fifth World Single Distance Championships. Was previously world champion in mass start in 2015 and 2019 and bronze in the 5000 meters in 2016.

Medal record Representing the Netherlands

Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Pyeongchang Mass start

World Single Distances Championships

Gold medal – first place 2015 Heerenveen Mass start

Gold medal – first place 2019 Inzell Mass start

Gold medal – first place 2021 Heerenveen 5000 m

Gold medal – first place 2021 Heerenveen Team pursuit

Bronze medal – third place 2016 Kolomna 5000 m

Bronze medal – third place 2020 Salt Lake CityMass start

Bronze medal – third place 2021 Heerenveen 3000 m

Bronze medal – third place 2021 HeerenveenMass start

European Championships

Gold medal – first place 2020 Heerenven Mass start

Silver medal – second place 2021 Heerenveen All-round

Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar catches up with Irene Schouten, Dutch speed skater, Olympic Bronze medalist, four times Gold Medalist and four times bronze medalist in World Single Distances Championships here she talks about her workout, diet, beauty secrets and her success story.

Namita Nayyar:

You were born in Andijk, Netherlands. Your love for Speed skating sports started early in life. You took part in Dutch Championships Single Distances in the 2009-2010 seasons. You won your first Gold medal in World Single Distances Championships at Heerenveen in 2015. This later propelled your career to the height where you have been at the top of the world as a Speed skater and winning a bronze medal in the Olympics and Four Gold, Four Silver in World Single Distances Championships over the years. Tell us more about your journey of exceptional hard work, tenacity, and endurance?

Irene Schouten:

I was born in Zwaagdijk-Oost, small village, 40 min above Amsterdam. I won four gold and four bronze at World Championships. I grew up on the farm. Not with animals but with tulips.

In the past, learning to skate was part of the upbringing. My older sister and brother started skating and i followed. My sister had quickly stopped. My brother also skated at a high level. He eventually chose to take over my parents’ business. I helped my parents in the business from an early age. This has brought me a lot for sports. It wasn’t always fun. For example, when you had to work in the fields and the weather was very bad. You couldn’t just stop, because the work had to be done. It’s the same with training in the rain.

My parents taught me, if you want something you have to work hard for it. Even though in, for example, needed new skates, I had to work for this myself. And of course to become the best you also have to work/train hard.

Namita Nayyar:

You have been a member of the Netherlands Speed Skating Team and had competed in the World Championships. Tells how you were drawn to these sports of Speed Skating and your meteoric rise to be a member of the Netherlands Speed Skating Team?

Irene Schouten:

Back in the days I did inline – skating in the summer. In 2012 and 2013 I got world and European champion. Later when ice skating getting more serious, I focused on speed skating. Speed skating is the number two sport in the Netherlands. And it is an Olympic sport. My goal is to get everything out of it. Show the best version of myself.

Full Interview is Continued on Next Page

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