Bart Swings wins bronze at the European Speed Skating Championships

In skating jargon, the "allround" involves linking four races over different distances over three days: 500 m sprint, 5,000 m and 1,500 m, finishing with 10,000 m.

During these European Championships in Hamar, Norway, Bart Swings showed a great deal of consistency in the first three races, finishing 4th in the 500 m, 5th in the 5,000 m and 4th in the 1,500 m. He was third in the provisional rankings before the last event and secured his position in the 10,000 m. In the end, he won a wonderful bronze medal. The European title went to the Dutchman Patrick Roest, who beat his great rival, the Norwegian Sander Eitrem, in the final 10,000 m.

At the age of 31, Bart Swings has won the 106th medal of his career. This is the third medal won by the Louvain-based skater in a European Allround Championships, after silver in 2016 and bronze in 2017. He also has two bronze medals from the World Allround Speed Skating Championships in 2013 and 2022, both in Hamar, and a gold medal from the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.

The next big challenge for the Belgian skater will be excelling at the World Championships in March!