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

Jan Smeekens
Jan Smeekens
Personal information
Born (1987-02-11) 11 February 1987 (age 37)
Raalte, Netherlands
Height1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight72 kg (159 lb)
Websitewww.jansmeekens.nl
Sport
Country Netherlands
SportSpeed skating
Turned pro2001
Retired2020
Medal record
Men's speed skating
Representing  Netherlands
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2014 Sochi 500 m
World Single Distance Championships
Gold medal – first place 2017 Gangneung 500 m
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Inzell 500 m
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Sochi 500 m

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

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Personal records

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Personal records
Men's speed skating
Event Result Date Location Notes
100 meter 9.69 14 February 2009 Enschede Dutch national record
300 meter 22.78 14 February 2009 Enschede World record
500 meter 34.32 19 January 2013 Calgary
1000 meter 1:08.89 16 March 2007 Calgary
1500 meter 1:48.44 15 March 2007 Calgary
3000 meter 4:05.18 21 January 2006 Erfurt
5000 meter 7:23.36 5 February 2005 Assen

Source: SpeedskatingResults.com[2]

World records

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Event Result Date Location Avg. speed
300 m 22.78 14 February 2009 Enschede 47.4 km/h

Tournament overview

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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

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Season[4] 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

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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

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  1. ^ "Jan Smeekens Homepage". Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  2. ^ "Jan Smeekens". speedskatingresults.com. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  3. ^ "Skater Profile | Jan Smeekens | Men | Netherlands".
  4. ^ "ISU WorldCup Results" 28 December 2015
  5. ^ "ISU Speed Skating Results - Live".