Speedskating-online

Martin Hersman: from speed skater to speed skating commentator

Nowadays, Martin Hersman is working as a speed skating commentator for Dutch television, but not that long ago he competed at the World Cups and managed top ten results at the World and European Championships. These experiences have given him an inside view on the speed skating world, so whom better to talk to with the World Single Distances Championships just around the corner?

By Jolanda Abbes

Not so long ago, Dutchman Martin Hersman was a successful speed skater who managed top ten performances at several World and European Championships and raced to good results at the World Cups. He was a specialist in the 1500m and to a lesser extent in the 1000m, but despite his strong 1500m, Hersman never managed to win the overall title at the All-rounds Championships. Consequently, for him the introduction of the World Single Distances Championships in 1996 was a godsend: at this competition he medaled twice, in 1996 and 1997. Still, Hersman does not consider these good performances at the World Single Distances Championships to be the highlight of his speed skating career: “My highlight, surprisingly, isn't a World Singles medal, but my consistently high level in the Fall of 2001. After winning the 1500m at the Dutch Championships, I was able to perform on my best level throughout the World Cups.” The biggest disappointment of Hersman’s career also dates back to the Fall of 2001: “Due to a back injury I missed a direct Olympic ticket by 0.06 seconds at the Olympic Trials. I could barely walk and finished 5th. My ‘nomination’, as we say in Dutch, proved to be worthless. It wasn't only painful for me, but also for everyone around me.” Because of this back injury, Hersman failed to qualify for the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City in 2002.

Eventually, this same back injury proved to be the beginning of the end of Hersman’s speed skating career, and in 2003 he was forced to retire from the sport: “Due to my back problems I wasn't able to do all that was necessary to beat the best. My last race was the World Cup Final in Heerenveen in 2003 (5th).” However, it was not just the physical impossibility to be able to skate as he was used to, that made Hersman decide to end his speed skating career. He also took the people around him into consideration: “In my opinion you can only ask everything from yourself, your family and your coach if you can give more than 100%. I do not believe in athletes who have other ideals – money or status for instance.”

These days, Hersman is working as a (base) marketeer for Simyo, but he has not turned his back on speed skating completely. He is also a commentator for the NOS (Dutch television) and as such commentates on all the important speed skating events: “In 2003 I was asked to analyse the World Sprints and the NOS was satisfied.” Being a former speed skater, he has an inside view on the sport and consequently he is a highly appreciated commentator in the Netherlands. Moreover, Hersman seems to thoroughly enjoy this job: “Speed skating is a ‘virus’ and I still love it. Commentating for a live audience gives me almost the same vibe.”

Despite the fact that Hersman only retired from speed skating in 2003, he feels that already quite a few things have changed since then: “The sport is adapting to what the people nowadays want: more speed, winners, and for that reason the World Cups and World Singles are gaining popularity.” Besides this, Hersman feels that speed skating is slowly becoming more global: “I see more professional athletes in other countries than just Norway and the Netherlands, though Asia stays surprisingly behind. I miss the Noake and Shirahata types.”

Even though speed skating might be changing to some extent, this season has also seen some remarkable comebacks of ‘old’ faces. Maybe one of the most noticeable ones was Jeremy Wotherspoon’s return to the speed skating top. After his disappointing performances at the Olympics in Torino in 2006 and an ongoing back injury, he decided to take last season off to regain his motivation for speed skating and to give his body the rest it needed. So instead of being on an ice rink, he spent a lot of the 2006-2007 season fishing. And obviously this time off has proven to be a wise decision, because it seems as if Wotherspoon has come back stronger than ever.

Because of his work for the NOS, Hersman has kept a close eye on all that has been going on this speed skating season, and amongst some other performances Wotherspoon’s comeback is one of the most important highlights of the season for him, as Hersman reflects: “I love the men's 500m, 1000m and 1500m every time. Especially Spoon’s comeback. On top of that, the women gave a nice fight at the World Sprints in Heerenveen and Wüst got back to her old level. Anni Friesinger’s 1000m in Hamar was legendary. It will all come together in Nagano.”

In Nagano, the World Single Distances Championships will take place this upcoming weekend, starting on Thursday, March 6. This competition will be the climax and the end of yet another season, the competition at which all speed skaters will try to excel. For Hersman it also represents one of the most important competitions of the season: “It will be thrilling as always. I love it.” In the course of the season it has become clear which skaters have shown a consistently high level and as a result will be most likely to claim the medals in Nagano. When it comes to the various medal contenders, Hersman doesn’t feel there will be any big surprises, though the last thing he mentions may come as a surprise to some: “Spoon, Korea, Kramer, Friesinger and Wüst. The Wolf can sleep a while.”

The World Single Distances Championships will take place March 6-9 in Nagano.