Congratulations to Roncalli Year 12 student Jan-Hendrik Kuepper who is heading to the Netherlands for the Inline Speed Skating World Champs in July.

We are delighted to share a profile of Jan's journey, success and achievements that have led him to his selection into the World Champs and nomination for the Youth Olympics. Congratulations Jan, we are very proud.

Jan has provided the following report:

I was nominated for the World Championships Team at the New Zealand National Championships which were held in Timaru between the 2 January and the 7 January. From then on the selectors viewed me at every championship I competed at. These were the National Road, Flat track and Bank track Champs and the Oceania Champs. At these championships I gained a total of 12 individual medals. These are as follows:

All National Championships:

5 x GOLD Intermediate Men

• 200 m Time trial (Road)
  
• 500 m (Road)
  
• 1000 m (Road)
  
• 300 m Time trial (Indoor)
  
• 1500 m (Indoor)
  

1 x SILVER Open Men's

• 5000 m (Indoor)
  

1 x BRONZE Open Men's

• 10 000 m (Indoor)
  

Oceania Championships: Raced on Bank track

4 x GOLD Junior Men U18

• 300 m Time trial – 26.818 seconds
  
• 500 m
  
• 1000 m
  
• 5000 m Elimination
  

1 x BRONZE – Raced on road

• 42 km Marathon
  

In order to be able to qualify for the World Champs you have to fulfill certain criteria. Such as gaining points throughout racing, behaviour on and off the track and attitude and emotion control. The selectors look at the nominees and the criteria and then decide whether or not you will be selected. 

It is an honour to wear the silver fern on your chest and represent your country on the international stage. For skating this is an even bigger honour because only in recent years has New Zealand sent larger teams again which shows the faith that our Federation has in its up and coming young skaters.

My performances and results have seen me selected in the 2018 New Zealand World Championship team which will race in Heerde and Arhem in the Netherlands between 1 and 8 July. 

The Skating World Champs are held every year in different places around the globe. This year is different however, I have also been nominated for the Youth Olympics which are going to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina later this year. This is the first time that skating has been involved in this competition and there are only spaces for 12 male skaters and 12 female skaters and only one from the Oceania region making this position very prestigious.