"I'm still reeling from it. Yes, that, that really hurt. This is so bitter," Timmer lamented in her podcast 'Dromen van Goud' (Dreams of Gold) for Sportnieuws.nl. Timmer has been involved in the skating world for many years and knows better than anyone how things can go wrong at the crossover. "You see it happening in front of you, then you know it's going to be very difficult to get out of. Then you can make a choice. And he (Lian, ed.) thought something like: f*ck it, I'm doing it."

"You know he has the right of way. You feel that it's going to be a very tricky crossover. Then you just make a choice. And that choice simply means you're now screwing someone else over," Timmer expressed her astonishment.

Wennemars' Missteps

"He had to let nine strokes go," Timmer analyzed. "He still had a fantastic final lap. But this, this simply cost him his head. This cost him a medal." Wennemars ultimately finished fifth, just two hundredths of a second off the podium. "He skated a really good race and certainly had something left in the final lap. But this is the worst thing that can happen to you. To be hindered like that at the Games, when you could have secured a beautiful medal."

Wennemars' Second Chance Doesn't Pan Out

Due to the obstruction, Wennemars was allowed a second attempt half an hour after his race. Timmer called it "madness." The fact that the organization gave him such a short time to recover also didn't sit well with her. "Then I think: half an hour is the minimum you need to recover. Then you still have to process that enormous disappointment. Your body needs time to recover. And then you don't grant that young man an extra fifteen minutes. I can't comprehend that either."

"It's incredibly fast. I understand it, all or nothing. You try it and hope for a miracle. But no, that's not feasible. It's incredibly impressive that he just did it. But the first one, I'm still... it was also a very subdued atmosphere in the hall," Timmer described.

'There's Still Something to Win'

According to Timmer, Wennemars will need some time to process it. "Joep is inconsolable now. And Joep will still be in a lot of pain tomorrow," Timmer believes, though she expects the 23-year-old to bounce back. "He has an incredibly strong focus. Joep will switch that button again," Timmer assured. "There's still something to win. Only at this moment, it's too soon, because it's all still very fresh. But there's still something to win."

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Wennemars will still compete in the 500 and 1500 meters. "That route to the 1500 meters is ideal like this. Only now, this disappointment first needs to find its place."

Watch or listen to the episodes of Sportnieuws.nl's 'Dromen van Goud' below, where three-time Olympic speed skating champion Marianne Timmer delves daily into the performances of TeamNL during the Winter Games.