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notyourvader t1_jb6uofr wrote

>But even in the Netherlands, there are signs of speedskating’s lack of standing in world sport. Thialf is not in Amsterdam or Rotterdam, but Heerenveen, a town of about 30,000 in the pastoral northern province of Friesland, which can feel set apart from the rest of the country. It is the equivalent of TrackTown USA in Eugene, Ore.

Whoever wrote this piece has absolutely zero understanding about the Netherlands. Thialf is in Friesland because Friesland has the biggest skating history in the Netherlands, with the Elfstedentocht, which is a legendary skating event, and a lot of lakes and canals where people skate every winter (if the weather allows for it).

It's also the third fastest track in the world, not some amateur skating rink.

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b_m_hart t1_jb78ywp wrote

You may not be familiar with TrackTown if this is your reaction to that comment.

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octopus_limbs t1_jb7bi19 wrote

In think it's a response to the excerpt implying that speed skating is a "minor" sport and it's the main reason it's detached from "major" cities. Thialf being in Heerenveen is not the same as TrackTown being in Eugene. Im the US, no one knows that Tracktown is in Eugene, unless you are a die hard speed skating fan, but in NL, Friesland == speed skating and almost everyone knows this.

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b_m_hart t1_jb7l7kb wrote

TrackTown is a very famous track (for track and field) events, with many national and international top level events taking place there. In the US, anyone that follows track and field (particularly distance running) knows of TrackTown, and where it is.

The exerpt does nothing to imply that it's "minor" in fact exactly the opposite.

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Dry_Needleworker7504 t1_jb83rmn wrote

"But even in the Netherlands, there are signs of speedskating’s lack of standing in world sport." What are you talking about? It very clearly says just that.

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b_m_hart t1_jb8kxhn wrote

As is pointed out elsewhere, it's basically saying that globally, speed skating isn't as common or popular as other athletic pursuits. He then goes on to compare the speed skating Mecca to the track and field Mecca to illustrate its importance. You seem awfully sensitive about someone stating the obvious about what the vast majority of the world considers a fringe sport, and then trying to explain the importance of the place in terms they'd understand.

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Dry_Needleworker7504 t1_jb8pdf5 wrote

It literally says how in a specific country the Netherland and internationally alike this is the case verbatim. Not sure what's confusing you.

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tafinucane t1_jb7l0jn wrote

Tracktown refers to Track and Field, not speed skating.

Track and Field is of relatively low importance in the US, so it makes sense that its (arguably) greatest venue is a smallish college town in the Pacific NW. Kind of a nonsense statement typical of sportswriting filler.

Most non-mainstream sports in the US have their olympic training centers in Colorado, so that's probably the US version of Heerenveen.

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AlexG55 t1_jb7lg3u wrote

I think the US equivalent of Heerenveen might be more like if the US had a national center for auto racing training and it was in Indianapolis.

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Jlx_27 t1_jb7kpv6 wrote

Exactly, Thialf is literally the most famous venue in speed skating.

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hoopaholik91 t1_jb7qd1o wrote

I think the point is that, even though the Netherlands is known as the country with the richest speed skating history, it's still not close to being the most popular sport there.

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carnifex2005 OP t1_jb640x7 wrote

Only 18 years old as well. Amazing future for him.

If anyone has NY Times, they have a more in-depth story about him and this feat as well...

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/05/sports/olympics/jordan-stolz-speedskating-world-championships.html

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letsreset t1_jb7xwqz wrote

https://archive.is/bHBfD

That's the free version.

FYI - just add 'archive.is/' to the beginning of the link (before the https) and you'll be able to get the free version of almost any online news article.

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Chitowntooth t1_jb9z9u4 wrote

And if you like the articles you’re reading, subscribing is a great way to the support them

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jarpio t1_jb6ufp3 wrote

Flyers should draft him

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glenn3k t1_jb6uty5 wrote

He’s a speed skater so he probably can’t pass, can’t score and can’t hit. Sounds like he’d fit right in.

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KeithGribblesheimer t1_jb6d037 wrote

Eric Heiden never did this?

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Robcobes t1_jb72eos wrote

Single distance world championships didn't exist yet back then

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carnifex2005 OP t1_jb74j9b wrote

If there were, I'm guessing Eric Heiden probably would have done it. Stolz joined Heiden (who did it twice) and his sister Beth in winning both the junior and senior world championships in the same year.

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Fartin_Scorsese t1_jb72bdt wrote

5 golds in the 1980 Olympics. He won each event. He didn’t win multiple events in any other competition he entered.

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Pizzashillsmom t1_jb7w7r1 wrote

Eric Heiden had retired long ago the first time a single distance world championships was held. Back then only multiple distance world championships existed, sprint (2x500m + 2x1000m) and all around (every distance except 1000m from 500m up to 10000m). Heiden won both of these championships in the same year three times as well as an extra all around championship.

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griebage t1_jb7p3ap wrote

Can we get the poor lad a jacket or something so he doesn’t have to use the flag as a blanket?

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SiphonTheFern t1_jb886hu wrote

The standing 500m champion (Laurent Dubreil) finished second and says he isn't even disappointed. Says the guy is out of this world and told him that he will tell his grandchildren he skated against him

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TerribleTeaBag t1_jb814cy wrote

Performance enhancing Schnoz. It’s like a carb intake from fast n furious.

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Runtetra t1_jb8qigx wrote

You joke, but it’s legitimately an advantage having larger airways.

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FelopianTubinator t1_jb82sf2 wrote

Technically he cheated because he was jacked up on Mountain Dew.

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nanoH2O t1_jb83ofz wrote

The quads on that dude good lord

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souttous t1_jb77h1u wrote

Oh my god! Oh my god!!

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GraGal t1_jb9sdc9 wrote

How many illegal drugs did the doctors allow him to take?

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G3POh t1_jb7vydc wrote

Is he a teen or a man?

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nanoH2O t1_jb83nfk wrote

Both? By definition he is a teen until 20. If you are asking if he has moved to manhood that is subjective based on maturity but some may argue that by law he is a "man" in the US at 18.

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Kingofauui t1_jb86sss wrote

Why does gender matter if we all equal

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