Atje Keulen-Deelstra
Encyclopedia
Atje Keulen-Deelstra (born 31 December 1938) is a former speed skater
.
Keulen-Deelstra was born in Grouw
, the Netherlands
. When she was 16 years old, Deelstra already won a junior title of Friesland
. She practised many sports during those days, but speed skating was her favourite and she won many cash prizes in the Netherlands
that way. When she married Jelle Keulen in 1962 and subsequently had three children between 1963 and 1966, her speed skating career seemed to be over.
However, when the Thialf
arena
opened in 1967 in Heerenveen
, Keulen-Deelstra went there to work on a comeback. She quickly made much progress, but she was told over and over again that she was too old. Not a member of the Dutch speed skating team, she won the Dutch Allround Championships in 1970 at the age of 32, beating reputable Dutch skaters such as Stien Kaiser
and Ans Schut
. That same year, she became World Allround Champion
. More successes soon followed when in 1972, she became Dutch, European, and World Allround Champion, a feat she then repeated the following two years (1973 and 1974). In addition, at the 1972 Winter Olympics
in Sapporo
, she won one silver and two bronze medals.
In 1975, Keulen-Deelstra switched to marathon skating and she became Dutch Champion in that discipline four times; her last Dutch Marathon Championships title being in 1980 when she was 42 years old. In 1997, just a few weeks after having been injured in a traffic accident, Keulen-Deelstra participated in the Elfstedentocht
.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, her daughter Boukje Keulen (born 2 December 1963) also was a successful skater. Boukje went from short track
through long track ("regular") to marathon speed skating, just like many other speed skaters.
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
.
Keulen-Deelstra was born in Grouw
Boarnsterhim
Boarnsterhim is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. The Dutch name is Boornsterhem.- Population centres :Akkrum, Aldeboarn , Dearsum , Eagum , Friens, Grou , Idaerd , Jirnsum , Nes, Poppenwier , Raerd , Reduzum , Sibrandabuorren ,...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. When she was 16 years old, Deelstra already won a junior title of Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
. She practised many sports during those days, but speed skating was her favourite and she won many cash prizes in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
that way. When she married Jelle Keulen in 1962 and subsequently had three children between 1963 and 1966, her speed skating career seemed to be over.
However, when the Thialf
Thialf
Thialf is an ice arena in Heerenveen, Netherlands. The stadium is used for long track speed skating, short track speed skating, ice hockey, figure skating, and non-sports events. The outdoor rink was opened in 1967, and the indoor stadium was opened in 1986. Several world records were set in the...
arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
opened in 1967 in Heerenveen
Heerenveen
Heerenveen is a town in the Heerenveen municipality of the province of Friesland , in the north of the Netherlands.- History :The town was established in 1551 by three lords as a location for the purpose of digging peat which was used for fuel, hence the name...
, Keulen-Deelstra went there to work on a comeback. She quickly made much progress, but she was told over and over again that she was too old. Not a member of the Dutch speed skating team, she won the Dutch Allround Championships in 1970 at the age of 32, beating reputable Dutch skaters such as Stien Kaiser
Stien Kaiser
Christina Wilhelmina Baas-Kaiser is a former speed skater from the Netherlands....
and Ans Schut
Ans Schut
Johanna Schut is a former ice speed skater from the Netherlands.Ans Schut had her best year in 1968 when, after winning silver at the World Allround Championships, she became Olympic Champion on the 3,000 m at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble...
. That same year, she became World Allround Champion
World Allround Speed Skating Championships
The World Allround Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of the world...
. More successes soon followed when in 1972, she became Dutch, European, and World Allround Champion, a feat she then repeated the following two years (1973 and 1974). In addition, at the 1972 Winter Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
in Sapporo
Sapporo, Hokkaido
is the fourth-largest city in Japan by population, and the largest city on the island of Hokkaido. It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an ordinance-designated city of Japan....
, she won one silver and two bronze medals.
In 1975, Keulen-Deelstra switched to marathon skating and she became Dutch Champion in that discipline four times; her last Dutch Marathon Championships title being in 1980 when she was 42 years old. In 1997, just a few weeks after having been injured in a traffic accident, Keulen-Deelstra participated in the Elfstedentocht
Elfstedentocht
The Elfstedentocht is the world's largest and longest speed skating competition and leisure skating tour, and is held irregularly in the province of Friesland, Netherlands.The tour, almost 200 km in length, is conducted on frozen canals, rivers and lakes between the eleven historic...
.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, her daughter Boukje Keulen (born 2 December 1963) also was a successful skater. Boukje went from short track
Short track speed skating
Short track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111.12 m...
through long track ("regular") to marathon speed skating, just like many other speed skaters.
Medals
An overview of medals won by Keulen-Deelstra at important championships she participated in, listing the years in which she won each:| Championships | Gold medal | Silver medal | Bronze medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics Speed skating at the Winter Olympics Speed skating has been featured as a sport in the Winter Olympics since the first winter games in 1924. Women's events were added to the Olympic program for the first time in 1960.-History:... |
1972 (1,000 m) | 1972 (1,500 m) 1972 (3,000 m) |
|
| World Allround World Allround Speed Skating Championships The World Allround Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of the world... |
1970 1972 1973 1974 |
||
| World Sprint World Sprint Speed Skating Championships The World Sprint Speed Skating Championships are annual speed skating championships. The championships are held over a two day period, with the skaters racing one 500 m and one 1,000 m each day... |
1973 1974 |
1970 | |
| European Allround European Speed Skating Championships The European Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of Europe. The International Skating Union has organised the European Championships for Men since 1893 and the European Championships for Women since 1970. The... |
1972 1973 1974 |
||
| Dutch Allround KNSB Dutch Allround Championships The national Dutch Allround speedskating championships are first held in 1901 for man and since 1955 for women-Men's Allround:Source: -Women's Allround:Source: -References:NotesBibliography... |
1970 1972 1973 1974 |
1971 |
World records
Over the course of her career, Keulen-Deelstra skated 2 world records:| Distance | Result | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,500 m | 2:17.2 | 14 March 1970 | Inzell Eisstadion Inzell Eisstadion Inzell is a stadium located in Inzell, Germany, best known as a speed skating venue. It is an outdoor, artificial ice, rink, located 690 metres above sea level and has a capacity of 20,000 people... |
| Mini combination Samalog Samalog is a scoring system in speed skating. It is used in allround tournaments to convert results at various distances into points in order to determine an overall champion... |
182.805 | 16 January 1972 | Inzell Eisstadion Inzell Eisstadion Inzell is a stadium located in Inzell, Germany, best known as a speed skating venue. It is an outdoor, artificial ice, rink, located 690 metres above sea level and has a capacity of 20,000 people... |