Joy Beune (24) started skating at a young age in her hometown of Borne. She showed talent for it. Joy is currently a long track speed skater with the Team IKO speed skating team and is fully focused on her athletic career.

TEXT: MARTINE VAN DER DEIJL

PHOTOGRAPHY: NOPOINT STUDIO'S

MAKE UP: MARJA HERMES

'I train twice a day, I love doing that. Although exercising naturally requires energy, I actually get a lot of energy from it. As a top athlete, besides training, nutrition is also important. But I am not very strict with myself. On competition days and the days just before, I pay extra attention to what I eat. I don't eat vegetables or salad on those days; it is very healthy, but it takes a lot of energy to burn. Instead, I eat fast sugars and carbohydrates on those days. The energy I get from them can be well used during skating.'

AN EXTRA PUSH

"I am always nervous before a competition. The nerves start a week in advance. I can feel in my stomach that something is about to happen. All my focus and energy go towards that competition. Winning the competition, that's what I aim for. I am not superstitious, but I have a necklace from my grandpa and a ring from my grandma that I always wear. I do believe that somehow gives me an extra boost."

ADRENALINE

After a competition, I am full of adrenaline, I really can't sleep that night. It's especially tough during a competition weekend, because sometimes I compete in multiple events in one weekend. When I can't sleep, the challenge is not to panic. Fortunately, I don't have too much trouble the next day. But after such a weekend, I am really exhausted. The day after a competition is truly a rest day. I try to sleep in and recharge. I am used to getting at least 9 hours of sleep. That's what works best for me.

FAMILYTIME

'I really enjoy being with my parents and sisters, but due to my busy lifestyle, it can be quite challenging. Especially now that I live in Heerenveen, which is a bit of a drive. Luckily, my parents come to visit this area regularly. We usually go for walks. That gives me energy. I love being outdoors anyway. I also talk to my sisters a lot. We get along very well. Another source of energy for me is being with my boyfriend. He is also a top athlete, which means we both have busy lives. When we finish training, we like to relax on the couch and watch a series. That's when I recharge and we enjoy each other's company.'

FRIENDSHIP

'It can be quite difficult for a top athlete to have a social life. A friend of mine lives in Heerenveen, just like me, so I can easily visit her for coffee or we go cycling together. I see my friends who also skate at the rink. But I see my friends outside of skating a bit less. Fortunately, they understand that I have little time. That is very nice and it really feels like true friendship. In the summer, I have more time to do fun things than in the winter, for example, we go to a beach, which gives me positive energy.'

RUST PACKAGE

'Last March, I was in Paris with my friend. There we took a photo at the Eiffel Tower. I had a small painting made of it, which I have to paint myself. It may sound very quaint, but it helps me to stay still. On my rest day, I really need to rest, but I am very bad at sitting still. So, I paint very consciously. It helps me to clear my mind and to find my peace.'