Cees: To me, it makes sense that they asked you to join TeamNL again. Do you also think the same way?

Pieter: 'Well, no. Initially, I didn't want to do it myself. With a seventh place in the medal table, TeamNL did exceptionally well in Tokyo. The chemistry was also amazing. But due to the impact of corona, it took a while before we could achieve those successes. Athletes got infected with the virus, and in other respects, we initially faced quite a few disappointments. This had a significant impact on social media. So much so that even my children were approached about these issues at school. Especially for that reason, I wondered if I would ever want this job a second time. But I couldn't ignore the call of the Dutch athletes now competing in Paris. At some point, I told myself to stop complaining. We will just pick up where we left off in Tokyo. And of course, this time we are also aiming for gold.'

Cees: "What are the most important lessons that you as an Olympic champion and as chef de mission will take to Paris?"

Pieter: 'Oh, there are a lot of them. One of them is that you shouldn't try to forcefully build a team on your own. In my position, I can help create the conditions within which that group feeling arises. I do the same as a father of my four children. Just like you create opportunities for new generations to develop within the Van der Valk family. We share that mindset. In your business, you also open up by empowering young people.'

Cees: 'How will you concretely fulfill your role within the Dutch team?'

Pieter: " I am a connector in TeamNL, someone in a serving role. The coaches, the performance managers connected to the individual athlete delegations, the nutrition experts, and the creative people running the TeamNL House in Paris - those are the experts you gather around you as chef de mission, and together you build team spirit, shared values, and successes."

Cees: "As a sports administrator, you are quite a unique individual. Very candid, someone without a hidden agenda, and therefore not concerned with the status that your position provides. Can you easily hold your ground in the world of sports?"

Pieter: 'Just like in society in general, there are also among sports administrators those who are vain and like to hear themselves talk and be seen, without actually bringing anything to the table. I must admit that I can be quite naive at times and have therefore bumped my head by not handling it too diplomatically. Fortunately, in Paris, I am blessed with very competent people. Colleague administrators who know what is expected of them in a leadership position.'

Cees: "As TeamNL, you will naturally aim for the medals again, but what is the biggest challenge for you personally?"

Pieter: Seventy percent of the participating athletes only experience the Olympic Games once. An event they have been looking forward to and working towards for years. However, performing at such a high level also brings a sense of loneliness. A feeling that I, as an Olympic athlete, am certainly familiar with. By operating as a family unit, as a chef de mission, you can eliminate that loneliness. We will fight together, and we will celebrate every medal extensively. But equally important are the atmosphere and dynamics within the group as a whole. The creation of that mix, that is personally the great challenge for me. And we already have the support of the Dutch fans. It's incredible how much energy we get from the expected turnout of Dutch supporters in Paris. It's as if we are playing a home game there!