Merel Conijn is a Dutch allround speed skater. She is a World Junior Speed Skating champion, as well as a Dutch Allround champion.
Merel Conijn was born on October 19, 2001, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She started in speed skating as a kind and won the Dutch Junior Allround Championships in 2019.
In the 2019/2020 season, she made her international debut at the World Junior Speed Skating Championships in Tomaszow Mazowiecki. In the team pursuit, she won the gold together with Robin Groot and Femke Kok. At the same championship, she won the bronze medals at the individual 1,500m, 3,000m, and mass start.
In 2020, Merel Conijn participated in the Dutch Championships Allround and Dutch Championships Single Distances but did not earn a medal. However, she was 7th at 3,000m and 6th at 5,000m in the Dutch Championships Single Distances and 9th at 500m, 17th at 3,000m, and 8th at 1,500m in the Dutch Championships Allround.
During the Olympic skating qualification tournament Netherlands in December 2021, she skated under the 4-minute limit for the first time at 3,000m. However, she was one hundredth in the 3,000m and one-tenth in the 5,000m short of qualifying. She was designated as a reserve by the selection committee and participated in the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympics.
In season 2021/2022, Merel Conijn won the overall gold at the Dutch Championships Allround. She won the gold at 5,000m, silver at 1,500m and 3,000m, as well as bronze at 500m. Thus, she won the 2022 Dutch Allround Championships by beating her challenger Joy Beune in a direct duel, which qualified her for the 2022 World Allround Championships in Hamar.
At the 2022 World Championships Allround, however, Merel Conijn failed to earn a medal, finishing 11th at 500m, 6th at 3,000m, 4th at 1,500m, and 6th at 5,000m, thus being 6th in the overall ranking.
Merel Conijn is among the youngest and most talented Dutch allround speed skaters. She is improving her results with every year and for sure very soon will be the new top speed skating competitor.
Merel Conijn photos
