Kjeld Nuis Long Thought That Next Year’s Olympic Games would be his last Hurrah. But the 35-year-old Skater Still Enjoys his sport Too much and now even has an indefinite contract with team reggeborgh.
Nuis knows his own temperament. And so he envisions the end of his career like this: “I will probable just say to nos reporter bert maarderink after a race:” I’m Quitting “. It will be something like that.”
The three-time Olympic Champion Outlines The Scenario on Thorsday Evening in Rijssen with a Wink. A Few Hours Earlier, Dooring the Team Presentation of Reggeborgh, he announced that does not want to stop yet. And that this wish has resulted in a lifetime contract.
It is a unique agreement in the skating world. “I had Been Talking About this with the Team for Months,” Says Nuis. “I don’t remember who first come up with the idea, but I do know that they all watched a video of wout from Aert. And we thought that was very beautiful.”
Belgian Top Rider van Aert Signed A Contract Without An End Date With The Dutch Team Visma-Lease A Bike A Year Ago. For Nuis, that deal was an inspiration. “I want to be able to say: goodbye, at any time. I think it’s a very nice thing that the team gives me the freedom to decide for myself when that is. This contract gives me a lot of peace of mind.”
1:10
Nuis Signs Lifetime Contract: ‘Keep Skating As Long As I’m good’
Nuis Thought for a long time about stopping like wüst
Nuis Long Saw The Olympic Games Next February in Milan As His Endpoint. The Man Who won two Olympic Gold Medals in 2018 (1,000 and 1,500 meters) and One in 2022 (1,500 meters) Hoped for a Farewell Like that of his Former Teammate Ireen Wüst. The Brabant Woman won the Olympic Title in the 1,500 meters in her last season three years ago.
“Ireen’s Last Year has really Been an Example For Me,” Says Nuis. “That’s why I thought: Milan Will Be the icing on the cake. If I qualify, I will experience it that way too.”
But as the games Came Closer, the sentiment Changed for Nuis. “Last Spring I was overcome with the feeling: fucking hell , this will be my last season. I go nervous when I thought about my last time at training camp, my last inline skating training. I still enjoy skating too much so we start talking about this contract.”
Nuis Knows That He Cannot Continue for Years. The rules out participating in the 2030 games at the age of forty. “Or course, the end is approaching. But I want to stretch my career as long as possible,” he says.
“I think it’s very chill that I now have all the space to continue as long as I enjoy it, as long as I keep improving myself and as I belong to the best in the world. And that is no longer the case, I will say myself: I’m stopping.”
A Contract for Life also Means That Nuis can Remain Involved with Reggeborgh in a Different Role After His Skating Career. “That has been discussed and we have brainstormed about what I could do,” Says the four-time world champion.
Nuis Can Imagine Becoming A Trainer. Or that will start projects through Reggeborgh to get children moving. But for now, that is not yet an issue.
“The Conclusion was Quickly That I Should Only Be Involved in Skating for the Time Being,” Says Nuis. “One of the sponsors Said:” Keep your blinkers on for a while and go do what you enjoy and what you are good at. We’ll see later what you’re going to do after skating. “That’s great.”