Short Description
Dutch speed skater Kjeld Nuis reveals a near-fatal teenage car accident almost ended his career, a pivotal story of resilience ahead of his Olympic title defense in Milan.
Read Time
3 minutes, 15 seconds
Main Article
As three-time Olympic champion Kjeld Nuis prepares to defend his titles at the Milan Winter Games, a harrowing story from his youth underscores the immense resilience behind his storied career. In a new documentary, “Kjeld Nuis: Mission Milan,” the Dutch speed skater reveals that a severe car accident at age 13 nearly ended his athletic ambitions before they truly began. This revelation adds a profound layer to the narrative of an athlete often celebrated for his power and technique, highlighting a pivotal moment of personal and professional adversity that shaped his journey to the pinnacle of Olympic speed skating.
The incident occurred when Nuis, traveling home from training, was involved in a chain collision. Sitting without a seatbelt in an older car, his head struck the metal door, resulting in a fractured eye socket, broken cheekbone, a severe head laceration, and a concussion. The injuries were so grave that doctors warned his parents of potential brain hemorrhages. The recovery forced him out of training for an entire year, leading to his dismissal from the national skating federation’s (KNSB) regional talent program. For many, this would have been a definitive end, a moment where the dream of becoming a professional athlete collided with harsh reality.
However, this setback became a defining turning point. In a crucial conversation, his father asked if he still possessed the desire to become a top skater. Nuis’s affirmative answer sparked a year of independent, gritty determination. Training alone and even competing in a borrowed suit, he staged a remarkable comeback. At the next National Championships, he outperformed the very skaters from the program that had cut him, earning back his place through sheer will. This early lesson in overcoming career adversity forged the champion’s mindset he carries into the 2026 Milan Olympics, where he will once again face the world’s best, proving that the greatest victories often follow the hardest falls.
Short Summary
Kjeld Nuis’s path to Olympic glory was almost derailed by a traumatic car accident at 13, which caused severe injuries and a year-long setback. His resilient comeback, fueled by personal determination after being cut from the national program, defined his champion’s mentality. As he heads to Milan, his story is a powerful testament to overcoming career adversity in professional sports.
