Jan Smeekens
A Dutch speed skater whose blistering starts and technical precision made him a perennial threat in the sport's most explosive race, the 500 meters.
Born 1987 (age 39)·Dutch speed skater·Birthday: February 11·Millennials
Biography
Jan Smeekens, born in 1987, carved out a reputation as a pure specialist in a sport that often rewards versatility. His domain was the 500-meter sprint, a distance where races are won and lost by hundredths of a second, and where his explosive power off the line was a trademark. For over a decade, he was a constant presence in the inner circle of the world's fastest skaters, a Dutchman thriving in a nation obsessed with the ice. His career arc was defined by agonizing near-misses and hard-won triumphs, most memorably at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where he missed gold by a heartbreakingly slim margin. That moment encapsulated his story: a skater of immense talent who operated at the razor's edge of the sport, where the difference between glory and consolation was often too small to see.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jan was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Jan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the silver medal in the 500m at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, missing gold by 0.01 seconds.
- Became the 500m World Champion at the 2013 World Single Distance Championships in Sochi.
- Secured the overall World Cup title in the 500m distance for the 2012-2013 season.
- Earned a bronze medal in the 500m at the 2012 World Single Distance Championships in Heerenveen.
Did You Know?
His Olympic silver medal in 2014 was decided by a photo finish, one of the closest margins in speed skating history.
He was known for his distinctive, very low crouch technique at the start of a race.
He retired from competitive speed skating in 2018.
Throughout his career, he was almost exclusively focused on the 500m and 1000m distances, rarely competing in longer events.
“It's all in the start; the first 100 meters decide everything.”
