1. Personal Life
Tuitert married fellow Dutch speed skater Helen van Goozen in 2009. Both Tuitert and Van Goozen had previously won gold medals at the World Junior Speed Skating Championships ten years prior to their marriage.
2. Speed Skating Career
Mark Tuitert's professional speed skating career spanned from 1998 until his retirement in 2014, marked by numerous achievements in both individual and team events at the highest levels of the sport. His primary discipline was the 1500m, though he excelled across various distances and in allround competitions.
2.1. Olympic Games
Tuitert participated in three Winter Olympics, earning a gold medal and two bronze medals.
2.1.1. 2006 Winter Olympics (Turin)
At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Tuitert was part of the Dutch team pursuit squad, which also included Sven Kramer, Carl Verheijen, Erben Wennemars, and Rintje Ritsma. The Dutch team was considered a strong favorite for a medal. In their semifinal match against Italy, the Dutch team held a lead of nearly a full second when Sven Kramer unfortunately stepped on a block and fell, also bringing down Carl Verheijen. Despite this setback, the team recovered to compete in the race for the bronze medal, where they successfully defeated Norway, securing Tuitert's first Olympic medal.
2.1.2. 2010 Winter Olympics (Vancouver)
The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, proved to be the pinnacle of Tuitert's career. He won the gold medal in the men's 1500m event. Skating in the 17th pair against Håvard Bøkko, Tuitert set a new track record with a time of 1:45.57, surpassing the previous record of 1:46.19 held by Shani Davis. In the final heat, Davis attempted to improve on Tuitert's time but finished 0.13 seconds behind, securing second place. Tuitert's victory marked a historic moment, as he became only the third Dutch Olympic gold medalist in the men's 1500m speed skating, following Kees Verkerk at the 1968 Winter Olympics and Ard Schenk at the 1972 Winter Olympics. He also earned a bronze medal in the team pursuit event at these Games.
2.1.3. 2014 Winter Olympics (Sochi)
At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Tuitert competed in two individual events. He finished 10th in the 1000m and 5th in the 1500m events.
2.2. Major Championships
Beyond the Olympics, Tuitert achieved considerable success in various major international championships, including World and European events.
2.2.1. World Single Distance Championships
Tuitert competed in the World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships, earning multiple medals. He secured silver medals in the 1500m event at both the 2004 Championships in Seoul and the 2005 Championships in Inzell. In 2005, also in Inzell, he won a gold medal in the team pursuit event. At the 2013 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships in Sochi, he finished 7th in the 1500m.
2.2.2. World Allround Championships
In the World Allround Speed Skating Championships, Tuitert achieved notable rankings. He finished 4th overall at the 2003 Championships in Gothenburg and 5th overall at the 2004 Championships in Hamar.
2.2.3. European Allround Championships
Tuitert also had strong performances at the European Speed Skating Championships. He won a bronze medal in the allround competition at the 2003 Championships in Heerenveen. The following year, at the 2004 European Championships, also held in Heerenveen, he claimed the gold medal in the allround event. In 2007, he finished 8th overall at the European Championships in Collalbo.
2.2.4. World Junior Championships
Tuitert's early career saw significant success at the junior level. He won a silver medal in the allround competition at the World Junior Speed Skating Championships in Roseville in 1998. The following year, in 1999, he secured a gold medal in the allround event at the World Junior Championships in Geithus.
2.3. World Cup Results
Tuitert was a consistent performer in the ISU Speed Skating World Cup series across various distances and team events.
| Season | 500 meter | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-2009 | 11th | 15th | DSQ | 15th | 10th | 11th | - | - | 11th | 13th | 15th | 15th | 22nd |
| 2009-2010 | 18th | 18th | DSQ(b) | 10th(b) | - | - | - | - | 13th | 14th | - | - |
| Season | 1000 meter | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-2008 | 28th | 10th | 7th | 7th | 6th | 16th | - | 6th | 5th | 7th |
| 2008-2009 | 9th | 11th | 4th | 5th | - | - | 10th | - | 17th | 16th |
| 2009-2010 | 4th | 4th | 5th | - | - | - | - | |||
| 2010-2011 | 5th | 6th | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2011-2012 | - | - | 1st(b) | - | - | - | - | |||
| 2012-2013 | - | - | - | - | - | 11th | 1st(b) | 6th | - | |
| Season | 1500 meter | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-2001 | 6th | 7th | - | - | |||
| 2002-2003 | 4th | 10th | - | 10th | - | 6th | |
| 2004-2005 | - | - | 8th | 6th | - | ||
| 2005-2006 | DNF | 1st(b) | 10th | DNF | - | ||
| 2006-2007 | - | - | - | 2nd(b) | - | 6th | |
| 2007-2008 | 10th | - | 5th | - | 5th | - | 5th |
| 2008-2009 | 4th | - | - | 19th | 8th | 7th | |
| 2009-2010 | 5th | 4th | 6th | 6th | - | 4th | |
| 2010-2011 | - | 10th | 10th | - | - | 9th | |
| 2011-2012 | 6th | 8th | 6th | - | - | 4th | |
| 2012-2013 | - | - | - | 8th | 8th | 7th | |
| Season | 5000/10000 meter | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-2004 | 7th | -* | 9th | - | - | -* |
| 2006-2007 | - | 1st(b) | -* | - | -* | - |
| Season | Team Pursuit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-2005 | - | - | - | |
| 2007-2008 | 6th | - | - | - |
- NC = No classification
- DSQ = Disqualified
- DNF = Did not finish
- DNQ = Did not qualify
- = 10000 meter
2.4. Tournament Participation
Mark Tuitert's career involved extensive participation in various national and international tournaments, showcasing his versatility across different distances and competition formats.
| Season | Dutch Championships Allround | European Championships Allround | World Championships Allround | Dutch Championships Sprint | World Championships Sprint | Dutch Championships Single Distances | World Championships Single Distances |  Olympic Games | World Cup GWC | World Championships Juniors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | ROSEVILLE | |||||||||
| 1998-99 | THE HAGUE | |||||||||
| 1999-00 | THE HAGUE | |||||||||
| 2000-01 | HEERENVEEN | |||||||||
| 2001-02 | GRONINGEN | |||||||||
| 2002-03 | ASSEN | |||||||||
| 2003-04 | EINDHOVEN | |||||||||
| 2004-05 | HEERENVEEN | |||||||||
| 2005-06 | UTRECHT | |||||||||
| 2006-07 | HEERENVEEN | |||||||||
| 2007-08 | HEERENVEEN | |||||||||
| 2008-09 | GRONINGEN | |||||||||
| 2009-10 | GRONINGEN | |||||||||
| 2010-11 | HEERENVEEN | |||||||||
| 2011-12 | HEERENVEEN | |||||||||
| 2012-13 | GRONINGEN | |||||||||
| 2013-14 | AMSTERDAM |
2.5. Records
Mark Tuitert set several significant records during his speed skating career, including junior world records and participating in team pursuit world records.
2.5.1. World Records
Tuitert held or participated in setting several world records:
| Event | Result | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 meter | 1:48.45 | 20 March 1999 | Calgary | Junior world record until 17 March 2001 |
| 3000 meter | 3:48.56 | 19 March 1999 | Calgary | Junior world record until 21 March 2002 |
| 5000 meter | 6:33.26 | 20 March 1999 | Calgary | Junior world record until 3 March 2001 |
| Big combination classification | 151.691 | 11 January 2004 | Heerenveen | World record until 8 February 2004 |
| Team pursuit | 3:46.44 | 21 November 2004 | Berlin | World record until 12 November 2005 (together with Carl Verheijen and Erben Wennemars) |
2.5.2. Personal Records
Tuitert's personal best times in each speed skating discipline are listed below, with the official world records at the time of his achievements for context.
| Personal records | ||||
| Distance | Time | Date | Location | World Record at the time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 meter | 35.20 | 27 December 2009 | Heerenveen | 34.03 |
| 1000 meter | 1:07.84 | 11 November 2007 | Salt Lake City | 1:07.00 |
| 1500 meter | 1:42.87 | 17 December 2007 | Salt Lake City | 1:42.32 |
| 3000 meter | 3:41.16 | 12 August 2005 | Salt Lake City | 3:39.02 |
| 5000 meter | 6:27.63 | 9 January 2004 | Heerenveen | 6:14.66 |
| 10000 meter | 13:38.91 | 11 January 2004 | Heerenveen | 12:58.92 |
| Big combination | 151.536 | 8 February 2004 | Hamar | 151.691 |
2.5.3. Adelskalender Rankings
Tuitert's highest ranking on the Adelskalender, a cumulative ranking of speed skaters based on their best performances across all distances, was 6th position. He held this position between 30 December 2000 and 2 March 2001. His overall score on the Adelskalender is 149.198 points.
3. Life After Skating
After retiring from professional speed skating in 2014, Mark Tuitert embarked on a diverse career path, venturing into business, media, and writing.
3.1. Business and Entrepreneurship
Following his retirement, Tuitert co-founded First Energy Gum, a company specializing in the production of caffeinated energy gum designed for athletes. This venture reflects his continued interest in athletic performance and well-being.
3.2. Media and Public Engagement
Tuitert has established a presence in the media as a sports pundit, providing commentary and analysis on speed skating for the Dutch broadcaster NOS. He also works as an online fitness coach for FitChannel.com, sharing his expertise in training and physical conditioning. Additionally, Tuitert hosts a podcast titled "Drive," where he interviews a wide array of professionals, including athletes, scientists, and entrepreneurs, focusing on their motivation and drive.
3.3. Writing Career
Mark Tuitert has also become an author, sharing his insights on mental fortitude and performance. In 2021, his book "Drive: train your stoic mindset" (Drive: train je stoicijnse mindsetDutch) was published in the Netherlands.
4. Awards and Honors
Mark Tuitert received numerous awards and honors throughout his distinguished speed skating career, reflecting his success at national, European, World, and Olympic levels.
| Championship | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch Allround | 7 | 4 | 5 |
| European Allround | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| World Allround | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Dutch Sprint | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Dutch Single Distance | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| World Single Distance | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Olympic Games | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| World Cup 1000m | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| World Cup 1500m | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| World Cup Team pursuit | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| World Cup GWC Classification | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| World Junior Allround | 4 | 2 | 2 |
In addition to his medals, Tuitert was recognized as the Dutch Sportsman of the Year in 2010, following his gold medal victory at the Vancouver Olympics.