Top things to know about the 2022 World and World Allround Speed Skating Championships
Olympic medallists Irene Schouten, Takagi Miho and Jutta Leerdam will be in action, in Hamar, Norway.
Speed Skating
Triple Olympic champion Irene Schouten and Japan’s most decorated female Olympian Takagi Miho will headline the star-studded Speed Skating World Championships starting March 3
The duo both enjoyed outstanding Beijing 2022 Olympics success, each winning four medals.
But even before Miho wrapped up in Beijing her mind was already on the worlds.
"That's my next challenge," she said in an interview with Kyodo news of her ambitions to land gold in the women’s 1000m.
In Hamar she will renew her rivalry with Jutta Leerdam, who won silver in the 1000m in Beijing.
Below we take a closer preview the World Sprint and World Allround Speed Skating Championships, including the top medal contenders, schedules and storylines to follow.
Takagi Miho the woman to beat
Miho starred Beijing 2022 with three silvers and gold in the 1000m, and is the favourite to defend her world title.
"My season hasn't ended yet. I want to start over with a clean slate," Miha who is coached by Dutch coach Johan de Wit told Kyodo news in China.
She will be joined in Hamar by PyeongChang 2018 Olympic champion Kodaira Nao and Yamada Rio.
Victory is far from a foregone conclusion though. Netherlands star Leerdam, who gained nearly half a million followers on Instagram after her silver in Beijing, will be hunting for glory alongside her compatriots Femke Kok and Michelle de Jong.
Also keep an eye out for USA skater Brittany Bowe.
Japanese and Dutch skaters target world glory
All eyes will be on triple Olympic champion Schouten in the women’s allround. The flying Dutchwoman has barely had time to settle following a packed post-Olympic schedule that included a grand tour in her hometown of Wervershoof.
The 29-year-old won three gold medals in Beijing (mass start, 3000m and 5000m) and a bronze in the team pursuit.
Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida and Isabelle Weidemann of Canada will also be competitive, as the other two medallists in the 3000m from the Beijing Olympics.
Martina Sablikova, the triple Olympic champion who took bronze in the women’s 5000 in Beijing, will be looking to bounce back at the world stage. The Czech skater, fourth in the 3000m in Beijing, has won five world allround titles.
Japan’s 2020 world champion Shinhama Tatsuya also returns to the ice in Hamar as the men's favourite.
In order claim victory, he'll have to overcome the challenge of a talented Dutch trio including Olympic champion Thomas Krol, 2017 world sprint champion Kai Verbij and Tijmen Snel.
2022 World and World Allround Speed Skating Championships schedule
Schedule (Times in CET)
Thursday, 3. March 2022
17:30 1st 500m Women - Sprint
17:53 1st 1000m Women - Sprint
18:07 1st 500m Men - Sprint
19:04 1st 1000m Men - Sprint
Friday, 4. March 2022
17:30 2nd 500m Women - Sprint
18:07 2nd 500m Men - Sprint
19:48 2nd 1000m Men - Sprint
19:53 2nd 1000m Women - Sprint
Saturday, 5. March 2022
14:00 500m Women - Allround
14:32 500m Men - Allround
15:15 3000m Women - Allround
16:35 5000m Men - Allround
18:03 Team Sprint Women
18:56 Team Sprint Men
Sunday, 6. March 2022
14:00 1500m Women - Allround
14:54 1500m Men - Allround
15:47 5000m Women - Allround
16:37 10000m Men - Allround
A full schedule of events and timings for when to watch the action can be found on the ISU's website.