Jan Smeekens

Jan Smeekens
Personal information
Born	(1987-02-11) 11 February 1987 Raalte, Netherlands
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	72 kg (159 lb)
Website	www.jansmeekens.nl
Sport
Country	Netherlands
Sport	Speed skating
Turned pro	2001
Retired	2020
Medal record Men's speed skating Representing  Netherlands Olympic Games 2014 Sochi 500 m World Single Distance Championships 2017 Gangneung 500 m 2011 Inzell 500 m 2013 Sochi 500 m

Jan Smeekens (born 11 February 1987) is a Dutch former speed skater. He is a 500 m specialist.^[1]

Smeekens won his first international medal during the 2004 World Junior Single Distance Championships in Moscow where he won the gold medal at the 500 m. At the 2006 KNSB Dutch Single Distance Championships on 28 October 2005 he made his début among the senior skaters in his country, resulting in claiming a World Cup spot for races in Collalbo and Baselga di Pinè. In the A-group of these World Cup meetings he finished in 6th and 7th position.

On 7 January 2006, later during the 2005–06 season he also made his début at the 2006 KNSB Dutch Sprint Championships. At these championships he won the second race over 500 m. In February 2006 Smeekens signed a professional contract with the TVM Speed skating team.

His first success in his new team was winning a silver medal on the 500 m at the 2007 KNSB Dutch Single Distance Championships. He won the first race beating all the favourites, while finishing second behind Jan Bos in the final race. Bos claimed and defended his title.

In 2006 Smeekens became the Dutch junior record holder in the 500 m with a personal best of 35.16, which he achieved during the 2006 speed skating finals in Calgary.

At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Smeekens finished sixth in the 500 m race.

He won Silver in the Men's 500 metres Speed Skating event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia; he had thought he won gold in that event, but his time was adjusted.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Smeekens finished tenth in the 500 m race.

Records

Tournament overview

Season	Dutch Championships Single Distances	Dutch Championships Sprint	World Championships Sprint	World Championships Single Distances	Olympic Games	World Cup	European Championships Single Distances
2004–05	ASSEN 10th 500m
2005–06	HEERENVEEN 7th 500m 14th 1000m	ASSEN 4th 500m 16th 1000m 500m 18th 1000m 10th overall				25th 500m
2006–07	ASSEN 500m 25th 1000m	GRONINGEN 500m 15th 1000m 500m 14th 1000m 7th overall		SALT LAKE CITY 13th 500m		12th 500m
2007–08	HEERENVEEN 500m	HEERENVEEN 6th 500m DNF 1000m DNS 500m DNS 1000m NC overall		NAGANO 16th 500m		11th 500m
2008–09	HEERENVEEN 500m	GRONINGEN 500m 17th 1000m 500m 17th 1000m 10th overall		VANCOUVER 13th 500m		11th 500m
2009–10	HEERENVEEN 500m 16th 1000m	GRONINGEN 500m 8th 1000m 500m 10th 1000m 4th overall			VANCOUVER 6th 500m	500m
2010–11	HEERENVEEN 500m 12th 1000m	HEERENVEEN 500m 4th 1000m 500m 8th 1000m overall	HEERENVEEN 14th 500m 22nd 1000m 500m 15th 1000m 13th overall	INZELL 500m		5th 500m
2011–12	HEERENVEEN 500m 14th 1000m	HEERENVEEN 4th 500m 18th 1000m 500m 12th 1000m 7th overall		HEERENVEEN 14th 500m		4th 500m
2012–13	HEERENVEEN 500m	GRONINGEN 500m 11th 1000m 500m 14th 1000m 7th overall		SOCHI 500m		500m
2013–14	HEERENVEEN 500m	AMSTERDAM 500m 10th 1000m 500m 13th 1000m 5th overall			SOCHI 500m	500m
2014–15	HEERENVEEN 500m	GRONINGEN 6th 500m 21st 1000m 4th 500m 21st 1000m 15th overall				8th 500m
2015–16	HEERENVEEN 500m	HEERENVEEN 500m 13th 1000m 500m 15th 1000m 9th overall		KOLOMNA 15th 500m		21st 500m
2016–17	HEERENVEEN 500m 14th 1000m	HEERENVEEN 500m 8th 1000m 500m 9th 1000m overall		GANGNEUNG 500m		5th 500m 63rd 1000m
2017–18	HEERENVEEN 5th 500m 13th 1000m				GANGNEUNG 10th 500m	4th 500m
2018–19	HEERENVEEN 500m 19th 1000m	HEERENVEEN 500m 17th 1000m DNS 500m DNS 1000m NC overall		INZELL 10th 500m		17th 500m
2019–20	HEERENVEEN 500m			SALT LAKE CITY 12th 500m		39th 500m	HEERENVEEN 5th 500m

Source:^[3]

• DNF = Did not finish
• DNS = Did not start
• NC = No classification

World Cup^[4]

Season	500 meter
2005–2006	–	–	7th(b)	10th(b)	–	–	9th	10th	19th	19th	16th	13th
2006–2007	6th	13th	7th	12th	13th	13th	15th	16th	7th	9th	19th	8th
2007–2008	23rd	12th	11th	14th	12th	10th	13th	4th	11th	8th	15th	10th	10th	8th
2008–2009	17th	12th	13th	5th	14th	15th	14th	15th	14th	15th	6th		11th
2009–2010	8th	10th	5th		14th	9th	–	–
2010–2011	4th	9th		9th	10th		–	–	6th		4th	6th
2011–2012		5th	14th		15th	5th		6th	14th	11th	6th
2012–2013			7th
2013–2014	7th	7th	6th	16th	4th	10th	–	–	4th
2014–2015			10th	4th	14th	6th	16th		17th	–	15th	7th
2015–2016	–	3rd(b)	6th	–	13th	7th	8th	10th(b)
2016–2017	4th	15th		–	–	8th		–	4th
2017–2018	1st(b)		8th	17th	17th	–	–	–
2018–2019	7th	15th		5th	–	–	18th	12th	4th	–	–
2019–2020	–	–	–	–	–	17th	–	–

Source:^[5]

Medals won

Championship	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Dutch Single Distances	6	5	2
Dutch Sprint Classification	0	2	0
Dutch Sprint Single Distances	9	7	3
World Sprint Classification	0	0	0
World Sprint Single Distances	0	1	0
World Cup 500m	16	12	9
World Cup Classification	1	1	1
World Single Distances	1	0	2
Olympic Games	0	1	0

References