Brigt Rykkje

Born in Norway to a Norwegian father and a Dutch mother, Brigt Rykkje moved to the Netherlands at age 5. Skating for his motherland as a junior, a Norwegian club suggested he could make the Norwegian senior team. Rykkje made the switch, and qualified for the World Cup and European championships the next season. A long distance specialist, Rykkje managed the qualification limits for the 5000 and 10000 m at the 1998 Olympics, but to his surprise, he was only picked as substitute. He was allowed to compete in the 1500 m, placing 29th. The following season, Rykkje switched to a commercial team, sharing a win in the first World Cup of the 1998/1999 season, and winning a distance medal at the European Championships. In order to save on travelling time, he then switched back to competing for the Netherlands, but his performance deteriorated, and he rarely competed internationally. In 2003, he started to train on his own (with his brother Bjarne, also a speed skater), and returned to his old level. He achieved his best result in 2007, when he won a bronze medal in the 10000 m at the World Single Distance Championships. Rykkje retired from competitive skating in 2009.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.88 (2001); 1000 – 1:16.20 (2001); 1500 – 1:50.28 (2001); 5000 – 6:22.38 (2007); 10000 – 13:06.03 (2007).