Moniek Kleinsman

Moniek Kleinsman is a Dutch speed skater, born on 3 November 1982 in Bentelo, Overijssel. She began skating lessons at the age of four, first concentrated on short track like her brother, and at twelve switched to long track. Her breakthrough came in the 2004-05 season, when she won the Dutch national allround championships, placed seventh at the European allround championships and eighth at the World allround championships. She qualified for the 3000 metres at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, where she finished seventeenth, and she also skated in the team pursuit, where the Dutch were eliminated by Germany. At the 2007 Winter Universiade in Turin she won bronze over 1500 metres, silver over 5000 metres and gold in the team pursuit. She studied nursing in Enschede alongside her sport.