Bio

Carlijn Achtereekte (Dutch pronunciation: ; born 29 January 1990) is a Dutch speed skater who specialises in long distances. Born in Lettele, Achtereekte won three silver medals in the 5000 metres at the Dutch Single Distance Championships. At the 2015 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen she won the silver medal at the 5000 metres event behind Martina Sáblíková. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, her first Olympic Games, Achtereekte took a surprise gold medal in the 3000 metres, leading home team-mates Ireen Wüst and Antoinette de Jong in a Dutch clean sweep of the podium, despite never having won a World Cup race. On 23 March 2018 she was awarded Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau by King Willem-Alexander.