Erben Wennemars

Erben Wennemars

Erben Wennemars during the World Championships 2007
Personal information
Born	(1975-11-01) November 1, 1975 Dalfsen, Netherlands
Website	www.erbenwennemars.nl
Sport
Country	Netherlands
Sport	Speed skating
Turned pro	1995
Retired	2010
Medal record Men's speed skating Competitor for the  Netherlands Olympic Games Bronze 2006 Turin Team pursuit Bronze 2006 Turin 1000 m World Championships Gold 2003 Berlin 1000 m Gold 2004 Seoul 1000 m Gold 2003 Berlin 1500 m Gold 2004 Nagano Sprint Gold 2005 Salt Lake City Sprint Gold 2005 Inzell Team pursuit Gold 2007 Salt Lake City Team pursuit Gold 2008 Nagano Team pursuit Silver 1999 Heerenveen 500 m Silver 2007 Salt Lake City 1500 m Bronze 2003 Berlin 500 m Bronze 2001 Salt Lake City 1500 m Bronze 2004 Seoul 1500 m Bronze 1998 Berlin Sprint Bronze 2003 Calgary Sprint

Egbert Rolf ("Erben") Wennemars (born November 1, 1975 in Dalfsen, Overijssel) is a Dutch former speed skater. He specialized in the sprint and middle distances of 500, 1000 and 1500 meters.

Speed skating career

Erben Wennemars was the first skater who skated the 1500 m faster than 1:50.00. His 1:49.89 in the summer of 1997, however, was not regarded as an official world record.

During the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano where Wennemars was qualified for the 500, 1000 and 1500 m, he dislocated his shoulder when Grunde Njøs from Norway fell and collided with Wennemars during the second 500 m race. Wennemars was not able to participate in the other distances after that.

Wennemars achieved his first big success in 2003 during the World Single Distance Championships in Berlin by winning the gold medal at the 1000 m and 1500 m. One year later he became world champion sprint in Nagano. In 2005 he defended his world sprint title successfully in Salt Lake City.

Wennemars qualified for the 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and the team pursuit events at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. His teammates for the team pursuit were Sven Kramer, Carl Verheijen, Mark Tuitert and Rintje Ritsma.

In 2003 Wennemars was chosen as athlete of the year in the Netherlands and in 2003, 2004 and 2005 as Dutch skater of the year. After failing to qualify for the 2010 Winter Olympics he announced his farewell from competitive skating.^[1] On January 11, 2010, Erben Wennemars officially retired as a speed-skating professional.

Personal life

Wennemars is married to TV-presenter Renate van der Zalm, with whom he has two sons: Joep and Niels.^[2]

Personal records

Personal records
Men's speed skating
Distance	Time	Date	Location	Notes
500 m	34,68	January 22, 2005	Salt Lake City
1000 m	1.07,33	January 12, 2003	Salt Lake City
1500 m	1.42,32	November 9, 2007	Salt Lake City
3000 m	3.41,84	August 13, 2005	Calgary
5000 m	6.28,42	August 13, 2005	Calgary
10000 m	13.35,67	February 11, 2007	Heerenveen
Team Pursuit	3:37.80	March 11, 2007	Salt Lake City	With C.Verheijen and S.Kramer

Medals

Championship
Dutch Single Distance Championships	10	11	9
Dutch Sprint Championships	3	1	3
Dutch Allround Championships	0	0	1
Winter Olympics	0	0	2
World Single Distance Championships	5	2	3
World Allround Championships	0	0	0
World Sprint Championships	2	0	2

References

1. ↑ ""Afscheid Erben Wennemars bij NK kortebaan"" (in Dutch). 
2. ↑ "Vrouw Wennemars: Erben heeft nieuw doel: de Elfstedentocht" (in Dutch). ad.nl. 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2010-01-11. 

External links

• Website of Erben Wennemars
• Photos of Erben Wennemars

Awards
Preceded by Jochem Uytdehaage	Dutch Sportsman of the Year 2003	Succeeded by Pieter van den Hoogenband
Preceded by Jochem Uytdehaage	Ard Schenk Award 2003, 2004, 2005	Succeeded by Bob de Jong