Timothy Loubineaud (FRA) has come a long way to break the 5000m World Record at the ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Salt Lake City. The 29-year-old comes from a country without ice rinks and switched from inline skating to ice just eight years ago. His late grandmother took him to inline training as a child and she still inspires him, just like retired former World Record holder Nils van der Poel (SWE), who is a close friend.

Mentor Van der Poel

Breaking the 5000m World Record set by Van der Poel in 2021 in Salt Lake City, came as a huge surprise to Loubineaud himself in Salt Lake City in a couple of weeks ago. 

 Nils van der Poel skates during the men's 5000m race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Salt Lake City, USA in 2021 © ISU

“I never expected this in my life. As a French guy, we don't have any tracks in France, and I'm also not the most talented guy, at least I don't feel to be the most talented skater on the planet,” Loubineaud said. 

Van de Poel was the first to congratulate the new record holder after he finished in 6 minutes and ,23s at the Utah Olympic Oval.  

Loubineaud and Van der Poel became friends in the run-up to the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. 

“I was not qualified to the 2022 Olympics and I wanted to become a better skater, and I had the opportunity to train with Nils,” Loubineaud explained.  “We lived close to each other in Inzell, and I asked my coach to switch my plan to train with Nils and do everything he did, not matter what, and I learned quite a lot from Nils.”

The two became close friends and Van der Poel even learned French to be able to speak with Loubineaud in his native tongue. 

Grandmother

Before Van der Poel inspired him to become a better skater in 2022, Loubineaud made the switch from inline skating to ice in 2017, when he set his first steps on the ice in Haarlem, the Netherlands.

 After having raced on tarmac in inline skating since he was five years old, Loubineaud wanted to try his luck in an Olympic discipline. Competing is in his blood.

“My parents wanted me and my brother to go into inline skating sports. My grandma would take me to the rink as a kid on Wednesdays and there always used to be a party with a disco ball and everyone dancing, while the only thing I wanted to do is race against everyone, so they put me on a club and I never left.”

Although she passed away, Loubineaud’s grandmother is still a huge inspiration.

“One day I promised my grandma that I would be a good skater. She loved watching me on TV, when I was skating inline. Unfortunately, she died too early for me to make my promise come true.”

Bigger stories

As the new World Record holder, Loubineaud will be looked upon differently when he enters the rink for his next races, especially the Olympic Games in Milano Cortina. He doesn’t care. Although he hates losing and racing is what he loves most, outside pressure doesn’t bother him.

“Maybe they’re going are going to make a big story about me, but the only story that’s important to me, is that my family is in good health. My brother is going to be a dad for a second time in a few weeks, so I think there are bigger stories than speed skating. It's more important to me to take care of my family and my girlfriend.”