Joy Beune stands among the most compelling figures in modern speed skating – not solely for her record‑breaking races and World Cup victories but for her journey from an uncertain young skater to a superstar of global stature. Born in Borne, Netherlands on April 28, 1999, Beune’s international impact on the long‑track sport reflects not just speed and endurance, but grit, self‑discovery, resilience, and the ability to rise again in the face of setbacks.
I. Early Life: The Making of a Skater
Joy Beune’s relationship with speed skating began in childhood, but not with instant talent or meteoric promise. In a candid interview in January 2026, she admitted that as a young skater she “had eigenlijk helemaal geen talent” — she actually had no talent at all — on ice.
Beune’s first brushes with competitive success came in her mid‑teens. After joining the junior circuit and honing her skills in the Netherlands’ renowned development system, she won her first international medal — a silver — at the 2017 World Junior Championships in Warsaw.
The following year, at the 2018 World Junior Championships in Utah, she dominated — winning multiple distances, setting world junior records, and capturing the overall junior title. That performance announced her as a rising star in speed skating, one with the range and stamina to excel across distances — and it paved her path toward the senior ranks.
Despite this rapid ascension, the young Beune had to navigate significant personal transitions. A key moment was her move away from home to Heerenveen, the Netherlands’ skating capital, a change that demanded independence and adaptation at a young age. “Je moet je leven hier opbouwen”, she later reflected — you have to build your life here — underscoring how significant that shift was both personally and professionally.
II. Senior Career: From Promise to Performance
Beune’s senior debut came in 2018 when she signed with Team LottoNL‑Jumbo. Although early results were respectable, it was not until her move to Team IKO‑X2O in 2022 that her promise translated into consistent elite success.
A. Breakthrough — World Champion and Consistent Podium Finishes
Joy Beune’s breakthrough on the senior world stage was profound. In 2024, she won her first world allround title, affirming her versatility and toughness across distances. Not long after, at the World Single Distances Championships, she also captured gold medals — particularly surprising victories in the 5000 m and team pursuit — marking her arrival in the rarefied ranks of global speed skating elite.
But 2025 elevated her profile even further. At the World Championships in Hamar, Norway, Beune mesmerized audiences and competitors alike. Competing alongside a loaded Dutch team, she secured multiple gold medals: in the 1500 m, 3000 m, and as part of the Dutch team pursuit. Her peers and commentators alike dubbed her de schaatskoningin van Hamar — the skating queen of Hamar.
Those victories weren’t isolated moments. They were statements of consistency and resilience — evidence that Beune wasn’t merely a specialist in one race but a force across the sport’s standard distances.
III. Triumphs and Trials in the 2025–26 Season
The 2025–26 season proved to be both one of the most exhilarating and emotionally volatile in Beune’s career.
A. World Cup Dominance and Personal Bests
At the start of the 2025–26 World Cup circuit, Beune turned heads with outstanding performances. She opened the season with an emphatic victory on the 3000 m at Salt Lake City, clocking a personal best of 3.53.69, the second‑fastest Dutch time ever on the distance. Though her bid for a world record fell just short, the performance confirmed her return to top form after a sick withdrawal from the Dutch National Championships earlier in the season.
At Heerenveen, she continued her dominance: winning the 1500 m World Cup race with a time of 1:53.10 — her third World Cup win of the season — and finishing on the podium in long distances. Such consistency was notable: Beune not only raced but won at a level that few before her had maintained across multiple distances.
By late 2025, she had amassed an astonishing World Cup tally for the season — reportedly six victories and a bronze medal in eight races — a performance that set high expectations for Olympic qualification.
B. Olympic Qualification — High Stakes and Narrow Margins
In December 2025 — the Olympic qualifying tournament for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo — Beune faced her most intense competitive pressure of the season.
Despite her formidable World Cup results, Olympic qualification proved agonizingly elusive. On her signature distances — notably the 1500 m — she missed a place on the Olympic team by a heartbreaking 17 hundredths of a second, finishing fourth when only the top two could qualify. The disappointment was profound.
Her attempts to qualify for the longer 5000 m distance also fell just short, with established rivals securing Olympic berths instead. Beune finished that distance in fifth place, a result that further dashed her hopes of multiple Olympic medals.
Yet even in this disappointment, Beune’s professionalism shone through. Her ability to compete at this level, to continue racing under pressure, and her candid reflections about emotional toll and recovery spoke to her resilience. Despite missing two of her preferred distances at the Olympics, she did secure a place in the Games on the 3000 m, affirming that her presence on the Olympic stage was still very much a reality.
IV. Personal Life: The Athlete Beyond the Ice
While Beune is primarily known for her skating prowess, the story of her personality, relationship dynamics, and how she handles fame adds richness to her profile.
Beune has been in a long‑term relationship with fellow Dutch speed skater Kjeld Nuis, himself a decorated champion with Olympic titles. Their partnership is grounded in mutual support and shared understanding of the pressures elite competition demands.
Her journey has also involved psychological battles. As she shared in interviews, internal doubts and high self‑imposed expectations often challenged her confidence — far more than external pressure. Her early career perfectionism and insecurities — driven by her own desire to succeed among the world’s best — reveal an athlete deeply committed not just to winning, but to living up to her own standards.
Moreover, Beune’s media presence extends beyond competition results. Her portrayal in prominent publications broadened her public identity, engaging audiences inside and outside the traditional speed skating community.
V. Training, Technique, and Competitive Philosophy
Beune’s strength has always been her technical approach and adaptability. Coaches early in her career focused intensely on refining her skating technique — a decision Beune credits as transformational. Without that work, she believes she wouldn’t have developed the fluidity, power distribution, and endurance that characterize her later performances.
In competition, Beune is known for her tactical awareness: she balances early race pacing with strong finishing laps, particularly on the 1500 m and 3000 m distances. In 2025, her ability to push through tactical groups and maintain pace against rivals solidified her status as one of the most complete middle‑distance skaters in the sport.
Her resilience in adverse conditions — such as recovering from illness mid‑season, adjusting racing strategies, and competing across different rinks and altitudes — speaks to her holistic training approach. Beune does not rely on raw strength alone; her success reflects meticulous preparation, mental discipline, and the ability to refine execution under pressure.
VI. Legacy and Future: Beyond 2026
As of early 2026, Beune’s legacy is already well‑established — though her most defining moments still lie ahead.
She has been a consistent presence on the World Cup podium, World Championships medalist, and global ambassador of the sport. Her contract extension with Team IKO‑X2O through the Winter Olympics of 2030 reflects her ambition and her team’s confidence in her continuing to shape international speed skating in the years to come.
The disappointment of Olympic qualification challenges may yet prove a catalyst — fueling renewed focus and drive in the coming seasons. With her technical foundation, competitive intelligence, and emotional resilience, she remains poised to contend for titles and perhaps define a new era of Dutch excellence on ice beyond her current achievements.
Even more than race times and medals, Joy Beune’s story offers broader human lessons — about perseverance, self‑reflection, and growth. She has transformed early self‑doubt into a source of inner strength, conducted intense competition with poise, and embraced life’s dualities: victory and heartbreak, pressure and confidence, scrutiny and self‑assurance.
Her journey thus far affirms that the essence of athletic greatness lies not only in the medals won but in the courage to keep skating — especially when the ice feels most uncertain.
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