Harm Kuipers (born 22 November 1947) is a former speed skater from the Netherlands.

Harm Kuipers
Harm Kuipers in 2011.
Personal information
NationalityDutch
Born (1947-11-22) November 22, 1947 (age 77)
Vries, Netherlands
Sport
CountryNetherlands
SportSpeed skating
Turned pro1969
Retired1975
Medal record
Representing the  Netherlands
Men's Speed Skating
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1975 Oslo Allround
Silver medal – second place 1974 Inzell Allround
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 1975 Heerenveen Allround
Bronze medal – third place 1973 Grenoble Allround

Kuipers combined his sports careers with being a Medicine student at the University of Groningen. Preferring his studies over speed skating, he did not participate in the 1972 Winter Olympics, a decision he still regrets today.[1] The best year of his speed skating career was 1975, when he became World Allround Champion, after having won silver the year before. From 1971 to 1976, Kuipers also was a successful amateur bicycle racer.

In December 1973 he married speed skater Marrie Willems in Norg.[2][3] He had a son with her in 1974 and a daughter Margreet in 1975.[4] They lived in Haren.

Apart from combining his studies with his sports careers, another thing that set Kuipers apart was that he was his own coach, something that was in line with his later scientific career. After winning his world title in 1975, Kuipers concentrated on his scientific career, receiving his M.Sc. in Medicine from the University of Groningen in 1975, a Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of Maastricht in 1983, and he became a full professor at the University of Maastricht in 1992 at the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences – Department of Human Movement Sciences. Until 2012, he was a professor of Human Movement Sciences at the University of Maastricht where much of his research focused on the health aspects of physical activity, energy metabolism during exercise, and nutrition.[5]

Since 2000, Kuipers has been a medical advisor to the International Skating Union. From 2000 to 2003, he was member of the list committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency. He also is a member of the medical committee of the International Olympic Committee and an advisor to the Sports Physiotherapy For All (SPA) Project of the International Federation of Sports Physiotherapy (IFSP).

Early in 2010 Kuipers was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He is open about his illness and has talked about it on regional television. Being a doctor he is keen on helping other patients, which is why he wishes to share his own experiences with this disease. Kuipers hopes to beat the statistics for people with prostate cancer. End of 2011 a second cancer, esophagus cancer, was found.

Personal records

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Personal records[6]
Men's speed skating
Event Result Date Location Notes
500 meter 40.4 19 January 1973 Davos World record at the time was 38.0
1000 meter 1:21.47 16 January 1975 Inzell World record at the time was 1:17.23
1500 meter 2:02.00 15 January 1972 Davos World record at the time was 1:58.7
3000 meter 4:20.51 1 March 1973 Inzell World record at the time was 4:08.3
5000 meter 7:24.54 9 February 1974 Inzell World record at the time was 7:09.8
10000 meter 15:21.29 2 March 1975 Inzell World record at the time was 14:55.9
Big combination 173.305 10 February 1974 Inzell World record at the time was 167.420

Kuipers has an Adelskalender score of 171.584 points.

Tournament overview

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Season
Dutch
Championships
Allround
European
Championships
Allround
World
Championships
Allround
World
Championships
Sprint

1968–69
HEERENVEEN

18th 500m
20th 5000m
11th 1500m
15th 10000m
14th overall
1969–70
DEVENTER

  500m
13th 5000m
12th 1500m
11th 10000m
9th overall

1970–71
AMSTERDAM

8th 500m
12th 5000m
9th 1500m
11th 10000m
10th overall


1971–72
DEVENTER

5th 500m
  5000m
  1500m
4th 10000m
4th overall
DAVOS

19th 500m
7th 5000m
9th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall

1972–73
HEERENVEEN

  500m
6th 5000m
  1500m
6th 10000m
4th overall
GRENOBLE

9th 500m
4th 5000m
5th 1500m
5th 10000m
  overall
DEVENTER

10th 500m
6th 5000m
5th 1500m
5th 10000m
4th overall

1973–74
ASSEN

  500m
  5000m
  1500m
6th 10000m
  overall
ESKILSTUNA

8th 500m
6th 5000m
5th 1500m
  10000m
4th overall
INZELL

11th 500m
  5000m
4th 1500m
  10000m
  overall

1974–75
ASSEN

  500m
  5000m
  1500m
4th 10000m
  overall
HEERENVEEN

4th 500m
  5000m
  1500m
7th 10000m
  overall
OSLO

  500m
  5000m
5th 1500m
6th 10000m
  overall
GOTHENBURG

22nd 500m
9th 1000m
23rd 500m
7th 1000m
14th overall
  • NC = No classification
  • DNQ = Did not qualify for the final distance

source:[7] [8] [9] [10]

Medals won

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Championship Gold
 
Silver
 
Bronze
 
Dutch Allround
2
0
0
European Allround
0
1
1
World Allround
1
1
0
World Sprint
0
0
0

Decoration

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In 2010 Kuipers was awarded the Dutch Order of Chivalry of Orange-Nassau which is granted for those who have earned special merits for society.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Famous graduates – Harm Kuipers Archived 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine. University of Groningen (2006-08-04). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  2. ^ Schaatshuwelijk in Norg.
  3. ^ Kuipers markeert afghang Kernploeg, Het Parool
  4. ^ Dochter voor Harm Kuipers
  5. ^ Professor Harm Kuipers, Advisor Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine. International Federation of Sports Physiotherapy – SPA Project (2005-08-15). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
  6. ^ "Skater Profile | Harm Kuipers | Men | Netherlands".
  7. ^ "Harm Kuipers". speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Harm Kuipers". speedskatingnews.info. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Harm Kuipers". schaatsstatistieken.nl. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Harm Kuipers". ISU.org. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Harm Kuipers benoemd tot officier ON".
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