Olympic speed skating champion Jutta Leerdam will not take part in any competitions in the coming season, but says she is not ditching the sport altogether.
The 27-year-old, who won gold in the 1,000 metres and silver in the 500 metres at the winter games in Milan, said at the time she had doubts about her future. Now she has confirmed a season break, saying on her YouTube channel, “I am following my feelings”.
“Am I retiring? One thing is sure. You will not see me skate this season. I won’t be competing this year. You won’t see me on the ice.”
Leerdam, who is engaged to marry American social media star Jake Paul, said she was not closing the door on skating for good. “Retirement feels very final,” she said. “It would feel like closing the door on something I really love.”
Leerdam, who now lives in the US, said she plans to focus more on making videos for social media – she has 6.3 million followers on Instagram – and other “cool projects”.
In the post, Leerdam talks about the pressure of winning and her personal drive to become Olympic champion. “What feels right, right now, is choosing me,” she said in the 11-minute video.
Other Dutch skating champions say they are sorry Leerdam will not be taking part in this season’s competitions, in which Dutch women sprinters have a leading role.
But former champion turned analyst Mark Tuitert said he expected to see her back. “The Olympics take place in the Netherlands in four years’ time,” he told broadcaster NOS. “So the door has not been shut completely… she would be 31 then, and I think she can do it.”
