Medalists Velzeboer, Bergsma to carry Dutch flag at Olympics closing ceremony in Verona
The Netherlands will be represented by Olympic medalists Xandra Velzeboer and Jorrit Bergsma as flag bearers at the Winter Olympics closing ceremony Sunday evening, capping Games that included multiple gold medals and a national record, RTL reports.
Velzeboer, a short-track speed skater, and Bergsma, a long-track specialist, were selected after both won gold during the Games. The closing ceremony will take place in Verona rather than Milan, organizers said. It is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. at the historic Arena di Verona, a Roman amphitheater that can hold about 20,000 spectators and is usually used for opera and theater performances.
Velzeboer captured two gold medals in short track, winning the 500 meters and 1,000 meters. Bergsma won gold in the mass start Saturday after earlier taking bronze in the 10,000 meters, giving him two medals at these Games.
Bergsma’s mass start victory was part of a standout day for the Dutch team, which added two gold medals Saturday in Milan. Bergsma launched a long-range attack alongside Denmark’s Viktor Hald Thorup, built a decisive gap as the peloton hesitated, and pulled clear with three laps remaining. It was Bergsma’s second Olympic gold, following his 10,000-meter title at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, and brought his total Olympic medal count to five.
