Ireen Wust is a Dutch speed skater and before the 2010 Olympics was the defending Olympic champion in the Olympic Speed Skating Women's 3000m event. Her victory four years ago was considered one of the biggest surprises of the 2006 Turin Olympics Games since she was competing in her first Olympics as a 19-year-old. Wust beat out teammate and mentor Renate Groenewold for the gold.

She became the youngest Dutch Olympic champion in Winter Olympics history. Wust also earned a bronze in the Olympic Speed Skating Women's 1500m in Turin. Born on April 1, 1986, Wust also played tennis and hockey as a young girl, but eventually gave up those sports to concentrate on speed skating. Since the 2006 Olympics, she has experienced her ups and downs.

During the 2006-07 season, she won the world all around title in addition to 1,000 meters and 1,500 meter in the world championships in Salt Lake City. She struggled the following year, but still finished second overall at the world all-around championships.Wust continued to have inconsistent results in 2008-09, but rebounded to post a third-place finish at the world all-arounds and won the silver in the 1500 meters at the world single distance championships. Leading into the Olympics, she won the silver medal in the all-around competition at the European championships. Overall, she has 10 medals in world championship events, including four golds. ref.http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=2147/bio/index. html</ref>.

In Vancouver, Wust will be participating in two events - the 3,000s meters and the 1,5000 meters, Wust qualified for the 1,500 with a 1 minute, 56.97 seconds during the Dutch trials in December. She also earned then right to defend her title in the 3,000 meters by winning the Dutch trials in a time of 4 minutes, 6.80 seconds at Thialf Ice Stadium.http://www.nbcolympics.com/news features/news/newsid=383445.html#wust+jong+earn+olympic+speed+ skating+berthsHowever, she finished 11th in the 3,000 meters, posting a time of 4 minutes, 8.09 seconds in a race that was run on February 14. Next up for Wust is the 1,500 meters on February 21.