The Netherlands is in shock. Not because the government fell on Saturday, but because of the dramatic end to the Olympic 10,000 metre race for the Netherlands' best skater, Sven Kramer in Vancouver.
It was seen as a certainty in the Netherlands that the all-round ice athlete would win Olympic gold on Tuesday, but a totally incorrect instruction from his own coach sent him into the wrong lane and on to... his disqualification instead of victory. The media are falling over one another to comment on the affair, Dutch web forums have been swamped with reactions: dramatic, shocking, horrible. How could this have happened?
Seen live by millions
The entire country was glued to the television on Tuesday evening and watched the drama unfold. The live broadcast from the Winter Olympics was seen by 5,168,000 million viewers - a third of the Dutch population. There was a very bitter twist too, in that Kramer completed the race four seconds faster than South Korean Lee Seung-Hoon, who got the gold. With his time of 12' 54.5" Kramer easily broke the Olympic record on this distance and would have won, had he not been disqualified.
A national sport
Ice skating has something magical for the Dutch. At the first sign of a thin skin of ice on the water, the first daredevils tie on their skates and set off. In no time, frozen ditches, lakes and rivers are populated by young and old. It's hardly surprising then that ice skating is a popular sport for many, who often get out and practise on one of the many artifical ice rinks scattered over the country.
Victory upon victory
Skating is the Olympic sport at which the Dutch traditionally excel. Every four years, skating brings in the medals. The Netherlands has produced many a winner: Kees Verkerk, Ard Schenk, Yvonne van Gennip, Marianne Timmer, Gianni Rome, Jochem Uytdehaage - the list is endless.
Sven Kramer, a multiple title and record holder, was more than likely to be added to this roll-call. This is what makes his disqualification even more bitter, particularly because the 23-year-old is at his best in the 10,000-metre race. Just one painful, human error by his coach Gerard Kemkers had dramatic consequences. The sudden end of Kramer's golden dream will keep the Dutch population talking for the next few days at the very least.
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From past several times David Backham were in the news for all the reason except playing soccer, and indeed his fans will really miss him for this years Fifa event as it was really a great experience to watch his bending passes in HD video if you not able to get a seat in the stadium, however i still feel that he is fit enough to play coming years on the condition that he should more focus on football rather involved in unnecessary controversies.
I think this whole thing is funny. Sven Kramer calls a woman stupid for doing a normal part of her job. Then he fails at his relatively simple job during the Olympics. The man skates in a circle and has to change lanes at set intervals. This isn't rocket science he is doing here. How many times has he done it before? Then he blames his coach, throws a fit and pushes a volenteer. If an American athlete had done that America would be giving him more crap about it than anyone else. I guess when the Dutch are arrogant asses it's a culteral thing and we should all embrace it. When Americans make fun of this guy online we're all being "typical Americans", whatever that means. I suppose that it's supposed to be insulting.
''There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip'' It is indeed sad, moreso, because he was disqualified despite a better timing. But he should move on, and make Dutch happy with many more medals in the coming years..
My sympathies to all. To the Dutch people, to the poor coach and his family who will no doubt pay for this for many years to come and who will undoubtedly be fired, and mostly to the skater who was deprived of a gold and an Olympic record.
No doubt British journalists with attempt to blame this mishap on Canada.
I hear there are now t-shirts with his photo with the caption underneath "Are you Stupid?"
I can't think of a better person for this to happen to. He has quite the ego.. and now the world has surely heard of him. hee hee hee.
Do you even know him? I don't think so! Just because he knows he can skate faster than the other ones don't make him a person with ego. He just knows where he's capable of. Since when is that a bad thing?
Hey anonymous, go get a life you miserable nobody!
I agree totally. One slice of humble pie, coming right up!
what is all the fuss about , this is exactly what sport is about !! this is life, you sometimes win or lose at unpredictable moments due to unforeseen circumstances.
ice skating??what is that?? football? basketball?? what about real sports?
It is tempting to say Mr. Kramer deserves all that's happened. Yet I can't help feeling sorry for the millions of Dutch fans who had put so much hope in their big star. Surely THEY don’t deserve this. A very unfortunate turn of events no one should ever wish on any athlete.
It is standard for journalists to ask at the beginning of an interview that the interviewee state their name, title or affiliation to be captured by the camera/recorder. In fact, in certain cases the third standard question is 'please spell that.' This is the case even in instances where the interviewer and interviewee know each other well. The purpose is to clearly identify the filmed/recorded material, to avoid confusion, when eventually it will be edited and archived by other personnel. This is particularly necessary when TV crews are taping a great number of people, such as during business conferences, political events and, yes, sporting events where TV crews cover dozens/hundreds of athletes. I know this because I have set up many interviews in several continents including Europe. However, people seem so bothered by Sven's interview snafu that few have stopped to think that the questions may have had nothing to do with Sven or even with the reporter's knowledge/interest in his career.
What is clear is that Sven's ego larger than his reputation. Even if Sven was unaware of this media practice, his response ("Hell no, I am not gonna do that") shows an inflated sense of self-importance. There was a reason why the questions were being made and those reasons had nothing to do with him. Instead of asking why he needed to provide that or use humour to learn more about the situation he chose to be insulting. Then life decided to insult him back by stealing a medal. Let's hope that his sponsors and potential sponsors find some humour in that too. Judging by his latest remarks re: forgiving his coach, it is possible that he is learning his lesson.
I feel bad for the guy. Here he is, skating his heart out, when his coach tells him to do something, he does it (giving the coach the benefit of the doubt. He's the coach, right?), then discovers at the END that he's disqualified. His reaction (throwing the glasses, etc.) wasn't bad sportsmanship. Giving the coach a bloody
nose would have been. I hope the situation is redeemable, and that Mr. Kramer will continue to skate. Will there be an 11-city skate race this year? Would he be eligible?
As for journalism, and the "Say your name, country, and event," sadly, some Amerikanse journalists don't know the events, the players, or much of anything, so they need to have the athlete say those things. A better plan would be to have journalists become experts in the events, knowing all the participants, etc, then the ungraciousness of athletes who are stars in their homelands wouldn't be such a temptation.
Hup, Nederlands!!!
Is Sven Kramer stupid for being disqualified from his gold medal race and for shoving an Olympic lady volunteer as he stormed off the ice like an angry child?
Please don't judge all Americans by the ill manners of Mike G.
The Dutch fans at the World Cup and the Winter Olympics are always among the most visible and enthusiastic. Their pride in your splendid country is self-evident.
Although Mike G fits the portrait of the "Ugly American", I can assure you he is the exception rather than the norm. We have visited your wonderful country several times and are always respectful of where we are and hope we represent our country in a positive manner.
If his distance was slightly shorter, since he did change lanes correctly, did his time really still break the record. Couldn't his lower time be attributed to the fact that he skated a shorter distance? Did they recalulate his time according to his actual distance skated? Just curious.
Should read "incorrectly"
I agree with Brad and Andy: Mike G sounds like a redneck moron who is not representative of Americans as a whole. This was a tragic event caused by a lapse in judgment of his coach. I sympathize with all of the people involved.
Some of us in the USA are not as crass as Mike G., but you must wonder if karma has something to do with what happened earlier this week. Kramer said of Kemkers afterward that "everone makes mistakes," so he did tone down his anger later. You have to hope this doesn't ruin their relationship and spoil his future performances. He could have shown a little more restraint as a sportsman, but after a marathon event like this at the pinnacle of his career, his anger got the best of him. It's a shame to lose the recognition he probably deserved.
Brad, Zak and Andy, you are very nice people and don´t worry, People like Mike G. is so ordinary low life, we have them here too.
The tragedy of life is not that man loses but that s/he almost wins.
Mike G - You're exactly the type of douchebag that makes all Americans look bad.
Coach Kemkers should be immediately dismissed from staff for making such a serious error in misleading Kramer. For those who are blaming Kramer for the error in judgement, who would have been in error if Kramer had not obeyed the coach? Do we not instruct all our atheletes that to be successful we are to listen to our coaches ?
Yes, you should listen to your coaches and trust them as much as you trust yourself during Training. However, when it actually comes down the actual race, the responsibility is your own. You should trust no one more than yourself especially when confusion comes into play, simply because nobody knows it better. The instincts and muscle memory are almost always right. Kramer knew this is and it's probably the reason why he was so mad. Good thing he is young and very talented -- so if all goes well, he'll get another shot and redemption will be twice as sweet!
is it a coincidence that the leading electricity company was to £100 to all its subscribers if sven won gold.A BIT FISHY ME THINKS
Hilarious!!!! !!!!!!!!
This kind of screw up couldn't have happened to a better guy. Sven's "stupid" comment to a reporter than telling that same reporter "hell no" made his "stupid" mistake extremely enjoyable to watch and read about.
I don't know much at all about speed skating since it's pretty much a non-sport here in North America, and couldn't care less about how popular it is in the Netherlands, but Sven's rude comments did make me pay attention to speed skating and his utter failure made it most entertaining.
Looks like a typical young man who deserves what he earned.
LOL!
Mike G.
Chicago, USA
Haha, typical American comment, Dont care bout the world and dont want to learn about the world, as long as I can stuff my face full with pizza's and hotdogs. Btw I think a US reporter who's assignment is to interview sportsman, should know whos interviewing, but than again...Americans...
You are showing your complete ignorance. How can one interview someone when they are not informed on the basics, such as the name of the person and lacks basic interviewing skills. It woudl have been better if he kept his mouth when he walked away. For this you want to crucify him and applaude the mistake made by his oach?
I'm not exactly sure how it happened but I think Sven was really a sore loser and unsportsmanlike. Stuff happens and the coach was wrong but his (Sven) attitude was very disappointing. He was expected to win gold? Anyone can win gold that's what happens. Don't be so disgraceful in future events and act like a man.
Daniel .......... Toronto, Canada
https://dandmb50.wordpress.com/
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