Nils Göran van der Poel had set himself the target of 12 minutes, 35 seconds for the 10,000 meter race.

That is realistic and easy to calculate: 25 laps with a time of just over 30 seconds.

When the speed skater realized after about two-thirds of his race that he would reach the set goal - and beat the previous fastest, the Dutchman Patrick Roest, by at least ten seconds - the Swede set himself a new goal: a world record.

Christopher Becker

sports editor.

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“I had the gold under control.

Now it was just a matter of not doing shit.

Four laps before the end I thought: Now I'm going for a world record.” After 12:30.74 minutes, van der Poel crossed the finish line: a world record, beating his own best time by more than two seconds.

After the race over 5000 meters the second victory in Beijing.

Ahead of Roest: almost 14 seconds, more than 15 on the third, Davide Ghiotto from Italy.

Patrick Beckert from Erfurt finished seventh, in 13:01.23 minutes, a result he was happy with.

Van der Poel subsequently reiterated his intention to retire from speed skating.

When a reporter asked what he should say to his son, since he was his role model, van der Poel said: "I owe Patrick (Roest; ed.) and the other Dutch people that I am who I am am.

But I don't owe them and anyone else my life and my future.

I want to make it clear once again how important it is to pursue your dreams.”

Van der Poel retired from sport after the 2018 Olympics to join the Swedish army.

On his return he dominated the long distances and became world champion on both distances in 2021.

Now he wants to face extreme endurance challenges again.

However, he does not leave speed skating without accusing the Dutch association of corruption.

On Wednesday he described the attempts by the Dutch to influence the ice master in Beijing as such.

This caused a great deal of excitement in the world's most successful speed skating nation.

The chefs de mission of the Dutch and Swedish teams had met in Beijing, a meeting van der Poel welcomed.

On Friday, he made it clear that he was not concerned with the ice quality in Beijing, but with the basic practice of the Dutch, who, in his opinion, always tried to achieve with the ice master that the ice had a texture like in the "Thialf" in Heerenveen have.

"I stand by my words," said van der Poel.

“We have to agree on what this sport is about.

My future is outside.

But I want the competition staff to stop being influenced.

Where does that end?

At the ice cream master?

At the curve judges?

With the timekeepers?

Corruption was the appropriate word.” Van der Poel also stood by the comparison he made with doping.

“I abhor doping.

But in terms of rules, that's 'just' cheating.

Influencing the competition staff is also cheating.

And the Dutch federation has been doing this for years.”