Straight after my win, I checked my phone. I was flooded with messages and missed calls, but my first call was to home. My parents were so proud and that gave me such an unbelievably good feeling.️ It wasn’t until I was going to sleep that night that it dawned on me that I really was going to the Olympic Games. Brilliant! 

Finally, on my sister’s birthday, I got to skate the 500 metres. Unfortunately, my family couldn’t be with me because of Covid-19 but it means I’m looking forward even more to next year. Then I hope I can just hug my family after a race. They mean the world to me. Since my Gran died, I’ve realized that there’s more to life than just skating although it is of course an important part. I’m also studying Life Sciences and I think it’s important I’m not fixated on just one thing. There’s so much more in life.”  

Merijn Scheperkamp, Life Sciences student