The intention

Achieve gold at the Olympics 10.000 meter in Vancouver.

The approach

Kemkers and Kramer worked together on a thorough preparation based on 6 years of intensive cooperation and resulted in countless successes (world championships, world records). During the ride, Kemkers coaches his pupil through a combination of information on the whiteboard, gestures and verbal cues.

The result

Kemkers makes an observation error while multitasking and sends Kramer to the wrong track. While Kemkers is busy writing down the lap times on his whiteboard, he sees Kramer driving in the outdoor track.. After that, the experienced coach thinks he sees opponent Ivan Skobrev in the inner lane. At that moment Kemkers thinks he knows for sure. In his opinion, Kramer should go in and his Russian opponent out. So the coach calls and gestures his pupil to the inner lane. Result: the TVM skater is disqualified.
The Netherlands is turned upside down and immediately after the race reporters dive into Sven Kramer and try to tempt him to make statements about the (termination of the) collaboration with Kemkers. Kramer, and later also Kemkers, provide a clear analysis of the event and jointly decide that this is a work incident that can happen, only in this case at a very unfortunate moment.

The lessons

  1. Be aware of the increased chance of making mistakes while 'multitasking' at essential moments. For example, a study from the University of Texas shows that nurses' margin of error when giving injections of 47% declines when multitasking is completely renounced and one concentrates solely on an action at the crucial moment.
  2. There are no guarantees of success; certainly not in top sport. But these experienced gentlemen top athletes and coaches have known that for longer than today.
  3. Kramer has shown how you can respond in a dignified way after such a mental blow to (suggestive) questions from journalists and thus create a lot of value in the longer term for yourself and the team to which you belong.

Further:
Sven Kramer is fit 23. That can over 4 going for gold again at the Games in Russia. And that the mistake drives a gap between coach and skater, Kramer doesn't think. “That's not the case, but this is a very expensive mistake.” The popularity of the top skater will probably only increase because of this event and his reaction to it.

Kemkers in turn, deals with the mistake made very mature and realistic. He takes full responsibility and is very open about how the mistake came about. The chance that the duo will win gold again at the Olympics therefore seems considerable to us.

Perhaps the final of the team pursuit this Saturday will already offer an opportunity for new success.

Author: Bas Ruyssenaars & Paul iske

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Or call Paul Iske +31 6 54 62 61 60 / Bas Ruyssenaars +31 6 14 21 33 47