Nine world championships and two Olympic medals at the age of 25. Harrie Lavreysen, a Dutchman from Apeldoorn, is 1,81m tall and weighs 92kg, and if he were also a bad guy, it would be best to keep him at a distance.. In fact, when he's not engaged in some speed challenge, he appears to be a down-to-earth guy. Strong as he is, shares the title of fastest sprinter with his friend/rival Jeffrey Hoogland and to avoid stepping on each other's toes, they often choose different races and snatch the prize.
From us the women's and men's sprint sector is under reconstruction and fifth place Matteo Bianchi to last world cup, in the kilometer won by Hoogland (who reached the final with the second-fastest time) gives us hope. So, to prepare the ground, we're in the meantime... spying on the host.
What does a sprinter do?
I don't have a 9-17 job. You're a great athlete all day, even on weekends. With every choice I make, I think what is best for this sportOf course, you also have to relax and take your time. But if I have to skip a party, I'm fine. I know what I'm doing this for.
What does your diet consist of?
I think about diet all day. I weigh my breakfast very carefully, so that it doesn't bother me during training.I usually eat around 8:15. The timing ties in perfectly with my morning workout. But some days, finding the right times is a puzzle. If I have to train in the early afternoon, I still have to get up early and have breakfast according to my lunch time.Protein is the basis, if I have enough, the rest is not so urgent. Obviously I have to eat healthy and make sure I maintain a healthy weight..
You ended your BMX career at 18 due to a shoulder injury: have you overcome it all?
I often give it a separate treatment. I have almost no pain, but I sleep in special pants with two loopsIf I put my wrists in, my shoulders stay in place. I have to take this into account in training too. For example, I can't practice as many starts in a row as someone else. Thanks or because of all the setbacks, I got to know my body wellI know exactly what is possible and what is not.
What do you remember from your BMX years?
I learned what it means to live like a high-level athleteI learned to control the bike. I have always trained for explosiveness and have laid a good foundation for strength training. which I still do today. So I still benefit from it.
You made your debut at the 2017 World Cup and they came immediately two silvers…
Open-mindedness has been my greatest strength. I didn't know anything about my opponents, but obviously they didn't know about me either.. I had several weaknesses then, but since they didn't know them, they couldn't attack me.
Is it important to know your opponents?
I already have all the scenarios in my head in advance. I know the world top 30 like the back of my hand.I know exactly what they do and how, why I analyzed them endlesslyI always try to stay one step ahead of them. I think about how they look at me and what they have to do to beat me. So I make sure that doesn't happen. If someone is stronger, I get over it. Instead I hate losing because of my own mistake.
How important is concentration in speed?
I want to feel the tension just to get better. But when I notice that I'm too tense, I talk to some people. When there is not enough tension, I sit and run the race in my head. And then the tension and concentration immediately return to their place.
Otherwise?
You don't win. We go very deep into each sprint, it's actually a very mental sport.There's no need to have doubts. If you have them, you won't win. The difference between saying "I can win" and "I will win" is a very important factor.When I go to a race, I don't think about silver. I would have already lost. The mental part is difficult to train, because it is simply not possible to practice outside of competitions.
What is your relationship with your national teammates?
They keep me awake. They notice immediately if they are not in shape one day and this is also true the other way around. Our training sessions are based on the team sprint, our goal for the Olympics. This makes us very strong as a team. We push each other. Each of us is at our best when the other is stronger.
How much more can you grow?
I'm young, so I can still do betterI see that I have weaknesses and that my opponents can beat me. This keeps me hungry. Ultimately, After my career, I want to have the greatest possible record of results. I work for this.
