[2] She turned out to be a talented marathon speed skater and switched to that sport to leave the short track behind her and won her first race in 2000.
[2] 2001 was her definite breakthrough year as she finished second in the Essent Cup rankings, third on both the Dutch championships in artificial and nature tracks and first in the Three Days of the Greenery, the AGM Marathon in Mora, Sweden, and the Alternative Elfstedentocht in Kuopio, Finland.
[2] She was second in the 2003 Essent Cup, but won the sprint competition and successfully defended her nature ice national title.
She also won her second Three Days of the Greenery title and finished 5th at the Dutch artificial championships.
[2] In 2004, she became Dutch nature ice champion again as well as Essent Cup and sprinters competition winner.