Femke Kok beats Jutta Leerdam in speedskating’s 500, adds an Olympic title to record
Dutch speedskater Femke Kok made history at the Milan Cortina Games by clinching a gold medal and setting an Olympic record in the 500 meters event. She outpaced defending champion Erin Jackson in a thrilling final heat, leaving Jackson in her wake and relegating Jutta Leerdam to the silver medal position.
Kok’s final time of 36.49 seconds was a remarkable 0.66 seconds ahead of Leerdam, who had triumphed over Kok in the 1,000 meters earlier in the competition. Miho Takagi of Japan secured the bronze medal with a time of 37.27, adding to her impressive collection of Olympic medals.
Jackson, who had made history as the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics four years ago, finished in fifth place with a time of 37.32. Kok’s victory sparked celebrations among the Dutch spectators as she crossed the finish line in triumph.
Leerdam, who briefly held the lead during her heat, fell short of becoming only the third female speedskater to claim gold in both the 500 and 1,000 meters at the same Olympics. Despite her disappointment, Leerdam’s silver medal was a testament to her skill and determination.
In the men’s team pursuit quarterfinals, Italy outperformed the U.S. team by nearly a second, but both teams advanced to the next round due to their fast overall times. The Italian trio of Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini, and Michele Malfatti clocked a time of 3 minutes, 38.40 seconds, while the U.S. team of Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson, and Emery Lehman finished in 3:39.37.
The semifinals will see Italy facing off against the Netherlands, while the U.S. team, who set a world record in the event last November, will compete against China. Norway, the two-time defending Olympic champions, were eliminated after finishing with the sixth-best time in the quarterfinals.
The Milan Cortina Games continue to showcase thrilling performances and fierce competition on the ice, with athletes from around the world vying for Olympic glory. Stay updated on all the latest Winter Olympics news at https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics.
