Ymke Ophof and Marit Hanewinkel stood on the podium during the last edition of the Triathlon Holten. In the battle for the Holten championship in the eighth, they finished first and third respectively. Both triathletes look back at 2019 and look ahead to this year’s edition.
It has been a while since you were on the podium in Holten. What do you remember about the 2019 edition?
Ymke: “That it was very hot. I believe it was also the first year that the cycling course was adjusted. You had to go up the Motieweg twice instead of through the Diepe Hel. I liked that because you pass through the village twice. I didn’t quite expect to become Holten’s champion. I didn’t have a good preparation then and also suffered from an injury. It was a type of heel spur. I actually wasn’t supposed to run, but the physio had said that I could make an exception for the Triathlon Holten.”
Marit: “What stuck with me the most was that it was very hot. The running part was canceled because of that. I was disappointed because running in Holten is my favorite part. People on the sidelines cheer you on and create an atmosphere. I didn’t expect to be on the podium. I remember cycling with Marleen Boode and Nienke Ensink. When we reached the roundabout at ‘t Klavertje, Nienke and I were the only ones left. From the side, I heard someone shouting that we were fighting for third place. I know Nienke well, and we also train together, but I thought: I don’t know you right now, and I’m going to fight for third place.”
In 2020 and 2021, the Triathlon Holten was canceled. How did you get through that period?
Ymke: “After the last triathlon in 2019, I started to focus on some other things. In 2017, I had glandular fever. I cycled a lot and ran quite a bit in the past two years, but I focused on other things on a sporting level. I was sad that the race in Holten didn’t happen in the past two years. I always find it a super beautiful race to run.”
Marit: “It was relatively quiet. I did participate in a few races here and there, but my priorities were on other things. I was busy with school, work, and internships. The triathlon was therefore on the back burner.”
This year, the Triathlon Holten can finally take place again. What do you hope for on the weekend of July 1 and 2?
Ymke: “To be honest, I haven’t prepared well this year. I regret that because I’m quite performance-oriented. But I started studying and have been busy with that. I hope to simply finish the Triathlon Holten and have a fun race for myself.”
Marit: “I am going into it with no expectations. I’m not participating to be on the podium again but mainly for fun. I always find the Triathlon Holten an exciting race to run. I’m curious about how it is now in the village. Will the sidelines be full again? But the Triathlon Holten is a race that people look forward to.”
