Paulien van Deutekom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paulien van Deutekom

Paulien van Deutekom
Personal information
Birth name	Paulien van Deutekom
Born	(1981-02-04)4 February 1981 The Hague, Netherlands
Died	2 January 2019(2019-01-02) (aged 37) Netherlands
Sport
Country	Netherlands
Sport	Speed skating
Turned pro	1998
Retired	2012
Medal record Women's Speed Skating Representing the  Netherlands World Allround Championships Gold 2008 Berlin Allround World Single Distance Championships Gold 2008 Nagano Team pursuit Silver 2008 Nagano 1500 m Silver 2008 Nagano 3000 m Silver 2007 Salt Lake City Team pursuit

Paulien van Deutekom (born February 4, 1981 – died January 2, 2019) was a talented speed skater from the Netherlands. She was known for her skills in middle to long-distance races, especially the 1000 and 1500 meters. Paulien became a world champion in speed skating.

Paulien's Skating Journey

In November 2005, Paulien surprised many when she performed very well at a special competition. This event helped skaters qualify for the Speed Skating World Cup. She earned a spot in several World Cup races.

During her first World Cup event in Calgary, she set a new Dutch record for the 1500 meters. Her time was 1 minute and 55.43 seconds. This beat the old record held by Annamarie Thomas. However, her record was broken just one week later by fellow skater Ireen Wüst.

In December 2005, Paulien competed in the Dutch Single Distance Championships. This competition was also used to pick skaters for the 2006 Winter Olympics. She finished second in the 1500 meters, which meant she qualified for the Olympics! She also hoped to qualify for the 1000 meters. But she finished fourth and did not get a direct spot. She later joined the team pursuit event at the Olympics. At the 2006 Olympics, Paulien finished 13th in the 1500 meters. Her team pursuit group was eliminated early.

Becoming a World Champion

In January 2008, Paulien competed in the European Allround Championships. She finished second, right behind her teammate Ireen Wüst.

A month later, in February 2008, Paulien achieved a huge success. She won the World Allround Speed Skating Championships in Berlin. This made her a world champion!

In March 2008, Paulien continued her success at the World Single Distance Championships in Nagano. She earned two silver medals, one in the 1500 meters and another in the 3000 meters.

Paulien decided to end her speed skating career in March 2012. She made this announcement after competing in a 1500-meter World Cup event in Heerenveen.

Life After Skating

After she stopped competing, Paulien van Deutekom worked as a sports expert. She shared her knowledge and opinions for the Dutch TV channel NOS.

Sadly, Paulien passed away on January 2, 2019. She was diagnosed with lung cancer six months before her death. Paulien was 37 years old. She is survived by her husband, Kay van der Kooi, and their daughter, Lynn, who was born in 2017.

Paulien's Best Times

Here are Paulien van Deutekom's fastest times in different speed skating distances:

Source: SpeedskatingResults.com & speedskatingbase.eu

See also

In Spanish: Paulien van Deutekom para niños