At the European Speed Skating Championships

Tyson conqueror Jake Paul is also against Herzog

Vanessa Herzog challenges the Dutch women in Heerenveen. The one to beat is Jake Paul's girlfriend Jutta Leerdam.

(Bild: zVg, epa)

At the European Speed Skating Championships in Holland, 10,000 "Oranje" will be cheering on their aces. The podium would be a dream come true for Vanessa Herzog from Carinthia. In the summer, she crashed into a car on her bike. "Could have died!"

The arena in Heerenveen will be filled to capacity from today. At the European Speed Skating Championships, 10,000 "Oranje" fans will be cheering on their aces - Jutta Leerdam is the absolute favorite in the women's event, with three other candidates for the medals behind her. There was huge media interest right from the first training session, with hundreds of journalists besieging the sports stars - because Leerdam's heartthrob is no stranger: Jake Paul! The 27-year-old US-American defeated boxing legend Mike Tyson in the ring this year. He has been in a relationship with the winter sportswoman for almost a year.

Jake Paul boxed against Mike Tyson this year

(Bild: AP/Julio Cortez)

Last podium finish over a year ago
"I know Jutta very well, of course. Jake and his entourage are often at the training sessions - he brings a lot of attention to our sport," says Vanessa Herzog. The Carinthian by choice is one of the first challengers to the home athletes at the European Quadathlon Championships (four races within 18 hours!). However, the Tyrolean-born athlete is still without a top 10 result in the World Cup this year.

In fact, she has been waiting for a podium finish since last year's European Championships - back then she took bronze twice in Heerenveen of all places. "Now everything has to work out in four races - the podium would be a dream," emphasizes the 29-year-old, for whom it could be the last Olympic Games in Cortina in 2026.

Vanessa Herzog would at least like to be in the top 5.

(Bild: REUTERS)

She really had a guardian angel. Mentally, Vanessa is doing well again - fortunately she is fully fit.

Tom HERZOG, Trainer-Ehemann

"She could have died"
She experienced a shock moment during her preparations this year - she crashed into a car door at 52 km/h on her bike and miraculously remained almost completely unharmed. A broken finger has since healed well. "She could have died, but she had a guardian angel with her," says trainer husband Tom.