Speed skating-Olympic champion Leerdam says she will not be competing this season

AMSTERDAM, Sept 15 : Dutch Olympic speed skating champion Jutta Leerdam has decided not to compete this season but said she is not retiring from the sport.

The 27-year-old won the 1,000 metres title in an Olympic record 1 minute, 12.31 seconds at the Milano Cortina Games in February and took silver in the 500m.

“I’m following my feelings. Retiring feels too definitive," she said. "One thing I know for sure: I won’t compete this season. You won’t see me on the ice.

“I don’t want to completely close the door on something I love so much: speed skating. That wouldn’t feel right. The sport is part of who I am.”

Leerdam, who has 6.3 million followers on Instagram, said she switch some of her focus to making videos for social media and that she has several projects underway.

She is engaged to social media star-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

The speed skating season begins with World Cup qualifiers on October 30.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Peter Rutherford)