The World Figure Skating Championships will take place at the end of March. With Luna Hendrickx, but without skaters from Russia and Belarus after the suspension of those countries by the International Skating Union ISU. That sanction is a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russia is traditionally a top country in speed skating and without the Russian speed skaters, the medal chances of Luna Hendrickx seem to increase. But brother and coach Jorik keeps that boat off.
“If we look at the results of the Olympic Games, you are not among the medal candidates without the Russians,” he says. Hendrickx was 8th in Beijing.
“If we look at it at European level, doors will open. If we were in front of a European Championship, we could have gone big,” he continues.
For the World Cup there are now 4 skaters against whom Hendrickx has to look up. “If Loena performs well, then something is possible,” estimates Jorik Hendrickx. “It also depends on what the competition is doing.”
The whole situation does not change in the preparation of Loena Hendrickx. “We will continue with the same élan and the same pattern that we have planned,” says Jorik
“This week has been one of calm build-up. Starting next week there will be hard training again. Loena first had to recover from the Winter Games. She was already on the ice last week. Not total rest. I have every confidence in it.”
