Rintje Ritsma

Rintje Ritsma
Rintje Ritsma in 2006
Personal information
Nickname
Beer van Lemmer
NationalityDutch
Born (1970-04-13) 13 April 1970
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight93 kg (205 lb)
Websitewww.rintjeritsma.nl
Sport
Country Netherlands
SportSpeed skating
Turned pro1988
Retired2008
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)500 m: 35.90 (1999)
1000 m: 1:10.19 (1999)
1500 m: 1:45.86 (2002)
3000 m: 3:49.29 (2004)
5000 m: 6:20.26 (2005)
10 000 m: 13:28.19 (1998)
Medal record
Speed skating
Representing  Netherlands
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 0 2 4
World Allround 4 2 3
World Distance 2 2 1
European Allround 6 2 2
Total 12 8 10
Olympic Games
1994 Lillehammer 1,500 m
1998 Nagano 5,000 m
1994 Lillehammer 5,000 m
1998 Nagano 1,500 m
1998 Nagano 10,000m
2006 Turin Team pursuit
World Allround Championships
1995 Baselga di Pinè allround
1996 Inzell allround
1999 Hamar allround
2001 Budapest allround
1998 Heerenveen allround
2003 Gothenburg allround
1993 Hamar allround
1994 Gothenburg allround
2000 Milwaukee allround
World Single Distance Championships
1997 Warsaw 1,500 m
1997 Warsaw 5,000 m
1998 Calgary 5,000 m
1997 Warsaw 10,000m
1999 Heerenveen 1,500 m
European Allround Championships
1994 Hamar allround
1995 Heerenveen allround
1996 Heerenveen allround
1998 Helsinki allround
1999 Heerenveen allround
2000 Hamar allround
1997 Heerenveen allround
2003 Heerenveen allround
1992 Heerenveen allround
1993 Heerenveen allround

Robert Rintje Ritsma (born 13 April 1970) is a Dutch former long track speed skater. His nickname is the Beer van Lemmer, which translates to the "Bear from Lemmer", analogous to Igor Zhelezovski's nickname "The Bear from Minsk", both of which are in reference to their imposing physical appearance.

He appeared in the Dutch version of The Masked Singer as the Springbok.

In October 2022 Ritsma started as the Dutch national speed skating coach of the team pursuit, team sprint, and the mass start.