Nils van der Poel is a Swedish ice speed skater, Olympic gold medalist and current world record holder in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter event. He dominated the sport since winning his first World Junior Championship in 2014, collecting two Olympic gold medals and three World Championship gold medals before officially retiring from elite speed skating in 2022. Throughout his skating career, Van der Poel has also had a strong commitment to activism, including donating one of his Olympic gold medals to a Swedish book publisher imprisoned in China.

On the Mesh stage, Van der Poel will shed some light on his Olympic career, his dedication to activism, and why he chose to openly share his training book.