Jan Smeekens

Jan Smeekens (born 11 February 1987) is a Dutch former speed skater. He is a 500 m specialist.

Smeekens won his first international medal during the 2004 World Junior Single Distance Championships in Moscow where he won the gold medal at the 500 m. At the 2006 KNSB Dutch Single Distance Championships on 28 October 2005 he made his début among the senior skaters in his country, resulting in claiming a World Cup spot for races in Collalbo and Baselga di Pinè. In the A-group of these World Cup meetings he finished in 6th and 7th position.

On 7 January 2006, later during the 2005–06 season he also made his début at the 2006 KNSB Dutch Sprint Championships. At these championships he won the second race over 500 m. In February 2006 Smeekens signed a professional contract with the TVM Speed skating team.

His first success in his new team was winning a silver medal on the 500 m at the 2007 KNSB Dutch Single Distance Championships. He won the first race beating all the favourites, while finishing second behind Jan Bos in the final race. Bos claimed and defended his title.

In 2006 Smeekens became the Dutch junior record holder in the 500 m with a personal best of 35.16, which he achieved during the 2006 speed skating finals in Calgary.

At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Smeekens finished sixth in the 500 m race.

He won Silver in the Men's 500 metres Speed Skating event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia; he had thought he won gold in that event, but his time was adjusted.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Smeekens finished tenth in the 500 m race.

Records Personal records

Source: SpeedskatingResults.com

World records

Tournament overview Season Dutch Championships Single Distances Dutch Championships Sprint World Championships Sprint World Championships Single Distances Olympic Games World Cup European Championships Single Distances 2004–05 10th 500m 2005–06 7th 500m 14th 1000m 4th 500m 16th 1000m 500m 18th 1000m 10th overall 25th 500m 2006–07 500m 25th 1000m 500m 15th 1000m 500m 14th 1000m 7th overall 13th 500m 12th 500m 2007–08 500m 6th 500m DNF 1000m DNS 500m DNS 1000m NC overall 16th 500m 11th 500m 2008–09 500m 500m 17th 1000m 500m 17th 1000m 10th overall 13th 500m 11th 500m 2009–10 500m 16th 1000m 500m 8th 1000m 500m 10th 1000m 4th overall 6th 500m 500m 2010–11 500m 12th 1000m 500m 4th 1000m 500m 8th 1000m overall 14th 500m 22nd 1000m 500m 15th 1000m 13th overall 500m 5th 500m 2011–12 500m 14th 1000m 4th 500m 18th 1000m 500m 12th 1000m 7th overall 14th 500m 4th 500m 2012–13 500m 500m 11th 1000m 500m 14th 1000m 7th overall 500m 500m 2013–14 500m 500m 10th 1000m 500m 13th 1000m 5th overall 500m 500m 2014–15 500m 6th 500m 21st 1000m 4th 500m 21st 1000m 15th overall 8th 500m 2015–16 500m 500m 13th 1000m 500m 15th 1000m 9th overall 15th 500m 21st 500m 2016–17 500m 14th 1000m 500m 8th 1000m 500m 9th 1000m overall 500m 5th 500m 63rd 1000m 2017–18 5th 500m 13th 1000m 10th 500m 4th 500m 2018–19 500m 19th 1000m 500m 17th 1000m DNS 500m DNS 1000m NC overall 10th 500m 17th 500m 2019–20 500m 12th 500m 39th 500m 5th 500m

Source: DNF = Did not finish DNS = Did not start NC = No classification

World Cup

Season 500 meter 2005–2006 – – 7th(b) 10th(b) – – 9th 10th 19th 19th 16th 13th 2006–2007 6th 13th 7th 12th 13th 13th 15th 16th 7th 9th 19th 8th 2007–2008 23rd 12th 11th 14th 12th 10th 13th 4th 11th 8th 15th 10th 10th 8th 2008–2009 17th 12th 13th 5th 14th 15th 14th 15th 14th 15th 6th 11th 2009–2010 8th 10th 5th 14th 9th – – 2010–2011 4th 9th 9th 10th – – 6th 4th 6th 2011–2012 5th 14th 15th 5th 6th 14th 11th 6th 2012–2013 7th 2013–2014 7th 7th 6th 16th 4th 10th – – 4th 2014–2015 10th 4th 14th 6th 16th 17th – 15th 7th 2015–2016 – 3rd(b) 6th – 13th 7th 8th 10th(b) 2016–2017 4th 15th – – 8th – 4th 2017–2018 1st(b) 8th 17th 17th – – – 2018–2019 7th 15th 5th – – 18th 12th 4th – – 2019–2020 – – – – – 17th – – Source:

Medals won Championship Gold Silver Bronze Dutch Single Distances 6 5 2 Dutch Sprint Classification 0 2 0 Dutch Sprint Single Distances 9 7 3 World Sprint Classification 0 0 0 World Sprint Single Distances 0 1 0 World Cup 500m 16 12 9 World Cup Classification 1 1 1 World Single Distances 1 0 2 Olympic Games 0 1 0