Michelle de Jong

Club / Team

Team Reggeborgh: Netherlands

Famous relatives

Her older sister Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong represented the Netherlands in speed skating at the Olympic Winter Games in 2014, 2018 and 2022. She won a silver medal and a bronze medal at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang and two bronze medals at the 2022 Games in Beijing. (SportsDeskOnline, 16 Nov 2022; olympic.org, 01 Aug 2018)

Name of coach

Gerard van Velde [club], NED

Other information

FAMILY SPORT Her older sister Antoinette has also represented the Netherlands in speed skating, winning four medals at the Olympic Winter Games. "We have always wanted to win, but for me it was also normal that I wanted to improve myself. When I was allowed to race for the first time I mainly wanted to gain experience and enjoy it. That was not really possible since the cameras were aimed at me because I was Antoinette's younger sister, and not because I had already skated so hard. In the beginning I couldn't handle it, but after a while it got better and better. You just have to deal with yourself and what other people say." (schaatsen.nl, 11 Oct 2019)

www.facebook.com/michelledejongofficial

Injuries

In July 2023 she sustained an injury to her shinbone during a training camp in Inzell, Germany. The problem was still bothering her at the start of the 2023/24 season. (omropfryslan.nl, 30 Oct 2023) She did not compete at the 2020 Dutch National Single Distances Championships after testing positive for COVID-19. (omropfryslan.nl, 28 Oct 2020)