The Dutch women skaters failed to win a single medal in the 3000 metre speed skating event at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver on Sunday.
The gold went to the Czech Martina Sábliková with a time of 4 minutes and 2.53 seconds - a record for the venue, the Richmond Olympic Oval. German skater Stephanie Beckert came second and the Canadian Kristina Groves was third.
The Dutch were expecting more from a team which included the defending Olympic champion, Ireen Wüst, who could only manage seventh place.
The other potential Dutch medal winner and defender of the venue record in Richmond, Renate Groenewold, had clearly not recovered from two serious operations in the past year and finished in tenth place. Half a second behind her in eleventh place was Diane Valkenburg, making her Olympic debut.
© Radio Netherlands Worldwide
Ireen Wüst after the race in Vancouver
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