Former skating coach Ab Krook (76) died of the consequences of...

Ab Krook died on Tuesday evening from the consequences of a cerebral infarction. The former skating coach has turned 76 years old.

In January 2019, Krook was also hit by a cerebral infarction, but he was able to recover well then. However, the former skating coach recently suffered another cerebral infarction. He died of the consequences on Tuesday evening.

Krook, who himself was active as a long track speed skater from 1967 to the early 1970s, held various positions in the skating world and was highly regarded. The Noord-Hollander was born in a total period of more than twenty years as national coach, top sports coordinator of the KNSB and advisor to the various teams and individual skaters.

Between 1980 and 1988, Krook was also national coach of what was then West Germany. As a coach / accompanist, Krook participated in a total of nine Olympic Games and was involved in the Olympic titles of Annie Borckink (in the 1,500 meters in 1980) and Bart Veldkamp (in the 10 kilometers in 1992).

‘Skating world loses an enthusiastic professional’

In 2006, his last year as top sports coordinator at the KNSB, Krook was appointed Officer in the Order of Oranje-Nassau. After that he no longer had an official position with the skating union, but the former national coach remained involved in the background.

“The skating world loses an enthusiastic professional in Ab Krook”, Herman de Haan, director-director of the KNSB, told Thursday Schaatsen.nl.

“Ab has shown himself to be very involved in top speed skating even after his retirement and spoke about it with great knowledge. We wish his wife Ineke a lot of strength in coping with this loss.”