Gretha Smit

Grietje "Greta" Smit[1] (born 20 January 1976) is a Dutch former speed skater.

Gretha Smit

Smit (w. silver medal Olympic Games 2002)
Personal information
Born	(1976-01-20) 20 January 1976[1] Rouveen, Netherlands[1]
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in)[1]
Weight	60 kg (130 lb)[1]
Sport
Country	Netherlands
Sport	Speed skating
Medal record Women's Speed Skating Representing the  Netherlands Olympic Games 2002 Salt Lake City 5000 metres World Championships 2004 Seoul 3000 metres 2004 Seoul 5000 metres 2003 Berlin 3000 metres 2003 Berlin 5000 metres Dutch Marathon Championships 1995 Ermerzand Natural Ice 2000 Artificial Ice 2001 Artificial Ice 2002 Artificial Ice 2004 Artificial Ice

Smit won a surprising silver medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics in the 5000 meter event. She skated a world record broken in a later pair by Claudia Pechstein. Prior to that season, she had not competed in long track speed skating competitions for several years, and had only taken up practice again shortly before the Dutch trials in late 2001.

However, she had been a very successful marathon skater in the years before 2002. She had become Dutch marathon skating champion on natural ice in 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2001, and on artificial ice in 1999, 2000 and 2001. During the last held Elfstedentocht in 1997 she finished second. She also won the alternative Elfstedentocht - skated in Finland - in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

Smit's two sisters, Jenita and Marianne, were also good (marathon) skaters; Jenita also took up long track skating in the 2002/2003 season.