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Dutch speed skater From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Henricus Coenradus Nicolaas "Hein" Vergeer (born 2 May 1961) is a Dutch former speed skater who became both European and World Allround Champion in both 1985 (in which year he also became National Sprint Champion) and 1986 (in which year he also became National Allround Champion). Hein Vergeer was a dominant allround skater, but after recovering from an injury, he was never able to reach that same level again. Because of this, he was unable to fulfil his wish of winning an Olympic medal – at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Vergeer competed in the 500 m, the 1,000 m, and the 1,500 m, but his best result was a mere fifteenth place. He had also competed in those same three distances at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo four years earlier, but did not do much better than with a tenth place as his best result. His best years were in between those two Winter Olympics.[1]
Hein Vergeer in 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Henricus Coenradus Nicolaas Vergeer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Dutch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 May 1961 Haastrecht, Netherlands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Netherlands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Speed skating | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 1980 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Henk Gemser | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 1988 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 500 m: 37.79 (1987) 1000 m: 1:14.62 (1988) 1500 m: 1:53.88 (1987) 3000 m: 4:01.21 (1987) 5000 m: 6:54.91 (1986) 10 000 m: 14:39.05 (1986) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Despite his dominance, Vergeer never managed to skate any world records. This could label him as a "true" all-round skater – very good at all distances, but never the best in any single distance.
Vergeer lived during his skating years in Haastrecht, a town where Leo Visser, another former World Champion speed skating, also used to live. Both skaters used to train at the skating club STV Lekstreek.
Back in the days of Vergeer's dominance, speed skating was not very lucrative, so Vergeer did what many other top skaters in those days did – he used his fame as a stepping stone to a career in marketing and communication. Vergeer currently is an advisor of several ventures and he organises events.
In 2006 and 2007, Vergeer participated in the Holiday on Ice show called Fantasy.
To put these personal records in perspective, the last column (Notes) lists the official world records on the dates that Vergeer skated his personal records.
| Personal records | ||||
| Men's Speed skating | ||||
| Event | Result | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 meter | 37.79 | 14 February 1987 | Heerenveen | 36.57 |
| 1000 meter | 1:14.62 | 18 February 1988 | Calgary | 1:12.58 |
| 1500 meter | 1:53.88 | 21 March 1987 | Heerenveen | 1:52.70 |
| 3000 meter | 4:01.21 | 19 March 1987 | Heerenveen | 4:03.22 |
| 5000 meter | 6:54.91 | 15 February 1986 | Inzell | 6:49.15 |
| 10000 meter | 14:39.05 | 16 February 1986 | Inzell | 14:21.51 |
| Big combination | 161.936 | 16 February 1986 | Inzell | 160.807 |
Source:[2]
Note that Vergeer's personal record on the 3000 meter was not a world record because Leo Visser skated 3:59.27 that same day at the same tournament. Also note that when Vergeer set his personal record on the 10000 meter Geir Karlstad set a new world record of 14:12.14 that same day at the same tournament.
Vergeer has an Adelskalender score of 161.193 points. His highest ranking on the Adelskalender was a seventh place. The Adelskalender is an all-time allround speed skating ranking.
Season |
Dutch Championships Allround |
Dutch Championships Sprint |
Dutch Championships Single Distances |
European Championships Allround |
Olympic Games |
World Championships Allround |
World Championships Sprint |
World Championships Junior Allround |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1979–80 | ASSEN 12th 500m 10th 3000m 21st 1500m 10th 5000m 12th overall | |||||||
1980–81 | ASSEN 8th 500m 12th 5000m 12th 1500m 10th 10000m 10th allround | |||||||
1981–82 | HEERENVEEN  500m 10th 5000m 1500m 8th 10000m 7th overall | |||||||
1982–83 | DEVENTER 500m 11th 5000m 6th 1500m 11th 10000m 8th overall | UTRECHT 500m 5th 1000m 4th 500m 1000m  overall | HELSINKI 10th 500m 9th 1000m 9th 500m 15th1000m 10th overall | |||||
1983–84 | EINDHOVEN  500m 1000m 500m 1000m overall | SARAJEVO 13th 500m 10th 1000m 12th 1500m | TRONDHEIM 18th 500m 11th 1000m 13th 500m 8th 1000m 11th overall | |||||
1984–85 | ALKMAAR 500m 5th 5000m 1500m 5th 10000m overall | UTRECHT 500m 1000m 4th 500m 1000m overall | ESKILSTUNA 500m 5000m 1500m 5th 10000m overall | HAMAR 6th 500m 5000m 1500m 8th 10000m overall | HEERENVEEN 9th 500m 4th 1000m 13th 500m 14th 1000m 7th overall | |||
1985–86 | ASSEN 500m 5000m 1500m 6th 10000m overall | UTRECHT 500m 1000m 500m overall | OSLO 500m 7th 5000m 1500m 4th 10000m overall | INZELL 500m 16th 5000m 18th 1500m 7th 10000m overall | KARUIZAWA 500m 16th 1000m 18th 500m 7th 1000m 16th overall | |||
1986–87 | DEVENTER 500m 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | THE HAGUE UTRECHT 1500m 5000m | TRONDHEIM 500m 5th 5000m 1500m 14th 10000m overall | HEERENVEEN 6th 500m 18th 5000m 6th 1500m 14th 10000m 10th overall | ||||
1987–88 | ALKMAAR 7th 500m 1000m 7th 500m 1000m overall | HEERENVEEN 1000m 1500m | THE HAGUE 500m 11th 5000m 1500m 15th 10000m 5th overall | CALGARY 24th 500m 15th 1000m 27th 1500m |
| Championship | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch Allround | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Dutch Sprint | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Dutch Single Distances | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| European Allround Classification | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| World Allround Classification | 2 | 0 | 0 |
An overview of medals won by Vergeer at important championships he participated in, listing the years in which he won each:
| Championship | Gold medal | Silver medal | Bronze medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics | – | – | – |
| World Allround | 1985 1986 | – | – |
| World Sprint | – | – | – |
| World Cup | – | – | 1987 (1500 m) |
| European Allround | 1985 1986 | – | 1987 |
| Dutch Allround | 1986 1987 | 1985 | – |
| Dutch Sprint | 1984 1985 | 1983 1986 | 1988 |
| Dutch Single Distance | 1987 (5000 m) | 1987 (1500 m) 1988 (1000 m) | 1988 (1500 m) |
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