Shirin van Anrooij chooses to enter the World Championships in Hoogerheide in the U23-category, just as she did for the European Championships in Namur earlier this season. She made this decision after careful deliberation, since she feels she’s not completely ready with the U23-category yet.
“There will be plenty of years in which I can battle for podiums in the elite category, but I want to end my time with the U23’s at a high. I want to develop my career step by step and don’t skip any.”
“In 2020, in Dubendorf, I won the very first World Championships for Junior Women. In Hoogerheide, I want to try and fight for that beautiful rainbow jersey again. So, I’ll stay U23 for one more year and afterwards I will make a plan for the next years.”
“Over the last few weeks, I’ve been talking a lot with the people around me and I’m happy both my family and my team support this decision. For me it felt like it was a ‘now or never’ chance for the elite world title, but there was no wrong or right decision in this and eventually it gives me so much motivation to fight for the elite title in the upcoming years. And for now, full focus on Sunday February 5.”
