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Netherlands's Femke Kok celebrates her victory after the speed skating Women's 500 m competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games. Peter Kneffel/dpa
Three-times world champion Femke Kok glided to gold with an Olympic record in the women's speed skating 500 metres on Sunday.
The Dutch skater, the world record holder over the short distance, went out last but showed no nerves as she beat the earlier time of compatriot and 1,000m Milan champion Jutta Leerdam.
"It was my life goal to become Olympic champion. I was training so hard to get this medal, and now I have achieved it. I am so happy," said Kok, who was sixth in 2022 and becomes the first Dutchwoman to win Olympic 500m gold despite her nation's speed skating pedigree.
"This really is a relief. I'm so proud I made it happen. This is what I dreamed about as a little girl, and that it happens today is so special."
Kok set 36.49 seconds as Leerdam's 37.15 was only good enough for silver. Japanese speed skating icon Miho Takagi took bronze, her ninth Olympic medal and second of these Games after also finishing third in the 1,000m.
Takagi said: "I had raced the 500m only a few times this season, so it was a big challenge. To win a bronze medal makes me very happy."
Jake Paul watches Leerdam in crowd
US skater Erin Jackson, the 2022 winner who appeared to have a problem with her equipment before competing, raced Kok but finished fifth overall.
Leerdam was going for her second gold of the Games but had a difficult start in her race with Germany's Sophie Warmuth. She soon found her groove to power to the line in what had looked like a possible victory.
"I was already so happy after that gold (in the 1000m), a lot of nerves fell off of me, she said.
"I had to recharge for the 500m. I really hoped for the silver medal and I did it. I'm very happy with this one. Femke Kok is super dominant on the 500m."
Social media star Leerdam is in a relationship with US boxer and influencer Jake Paul, who was in the Milan crowd cheering her on. She bought an expensive bag after her 1,000m win and was hoping her fiancé might splash out following another gold.
But her countrywoman Kok, who had finished second to Leerdam in the 1,000m in Monday, flipped the script with a thrilling performance as she narrowly missed her world record of 36.09.
The two individual Dutch golds for the women speed skaters have come in contrast to a lack of wins for the Dutch men so far. Italy's Francesca Lollobrigida won the other two women's speed skating golds up to now on home ice.
The next Olympic speed skating action is the men and women's team pursuits on Tuesday. Short track speed skating is generally classed as a different sport.
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Netherlands's Femke Kok celebrates her victory after the speed skating Women's 500 m competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games. Peter Kneffel/dpa
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