Re-Up: Olympic interview with Laura Smulders. Team Holland. Pics by BdJ

Aug 13, 2012

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 4493 times

Name: Laura Smulders
Age: 18
Hometown: Horssen, Netherlands
Sponsors: Redline, New York Pizza, Rabobank, NOC*NSF, Troy Lee Designs, Shimano, Tioga, Elevn, Bensink BMX Gates, Insight. Check my website LauraSmulders.nl and click on sponsors

London Olympics, you're in, congratulations. How long have you worked towards reaching that goal?
Laura: Thankyou! Bas asked me for the Dutch National Team last year, and I joined them with Rio 2016 as a goal. But then all the training went really good this winter, and I improved a lot so I showed Bas I was already good enough for making the Olympic Team. So it was the perfect timing, finishing school and then have a year off to train full time and try to make the Olympic Team.

Can you give an indication of how your life looks? Are you going to school? Do you work? or are you a full time pro?
Laura: I don’t work and I’m not going to school anymore, I finished

my school last year. So since may 2011 I’m training 5 days a week 2 times a day with the Dutch National Team at the Olympic Training Centre in Papendal. So yes I’m a full time pro now.

In BMX you have to peak at certain races. Has this worked out for you so far?
Laura: Yes it did work out really good. Papendal was a really good race for me, I got my Olympic nomination there, because I was in the final. It was my first World Cup final ever. At Worlds I was also happy with how I rode. In timetrial I had some good results and at the race on Saturday too.

Now that you're on the road to the Olympic Games, do you get to hang out with other Dutch Olympic athletes?
Laura: We are living at the Olympic Training Centre now untill we leave to London on August 3th. So we see some of the other Olympic Athletes too here.

Do you learn from their experience, in a different way?
Laura: I haven’t really talked to them yet, but I have seen them do their training and they also train really hard!

Not getting injured while preparing for the Games is the goal for now on. What are some of the activities that you are not allowed to do in the next few months?
Laura: We can’t do risky things now, you don’t want some stupid accident to happen now when you are preparing for the Olympics.

What's the first thing you'll treat yourself with after the Olympic race in London?
Laura: I think I’ll go to the snackbar and get a frikandel speciaal haha.

What bike will you be racing in London? Will it have a special paint job?
Laura: I will ride on a Redline, and ofcourse it will have a special paint job!

Any other special equipment you've got lined up for the Games?
Laura: Our TLD helmets will get a special paintjob too, and we get some new TLD pants and jerseys.

Good luck in London. Here's some space for you to thank some people. Go ahead:
Laura: I want to thank my family, friends and all the people who support me. And special thanks to my coach Bas de Bever and our great team, and all the sponsors for helping me out with everything!

Pics by BdJ