Ireen Wüst

Ireen Wüst's breakthrough came when she was still a junior. After placing third a the Dutch Championships, she qualified for the European (4th) and World Allround Championships (5th), and she closed out the year by becoming World Junior Champion. The following season, she won three Dutch distance titles, qualifying for four Olympic distances. Considered an outsider, she became the youngest Dutch Winter Olympic Champion by winning the 3000 m, later adding a bronze in the 1500 m. Wüst's best season to date came in 2007. She won the 1000 and 1500 m at the World Single Distance Championships, became World Allround Champion and won the 1500 m World Cup. In addition, she placed second at the World Sprint Championships and the European Championships (despite leading comfortably after 3 events). While she has yet to equal that season, Wüst has continued to medal at international championships. In 2008, she added the World Championship in the team pursuit and the European title to her tally, which also includes three straight Dutch allround titles (2007-2009). She was named Dutch female athlete of the year in 2006, and in 2009 the Ireen Wüst rink opened in Tilburg.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.44 (2007); 1000 – 1:13.83 (2007); 1500 – 1:52.38 (2007); 3000 – 3:59.74 (2007); 5000 – 6:57.87 (2008).