The speed skating season has begun. For several skaters, this season is especially important due to the Winter Olympics in Milan this February. Maaike Verweij and Daan Gelling focus primarily on marathon skating.

Over the past two years, Maaike combined marathon speed skating with a master’s degree in Strategic Innovation Management, which she successfully completed. Daan is studying Spatial Planning and Design at the University of Groningen and is currently working on his graduation project.

In this video, Maaike and Daan reflect on their time as students in Groningen. They share how they balanced elite sports with their studies and discuss the benefits of the University of Groningen’s elite athlete support program.