Milan, Italy – The Netherlands continued its dominance at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, securing a one-two finish in the women’s 500-meter speedskating event on Sunday. Femke Kok shattered the Olympic record with a blistering time of 36.49 seconds, while her teammate, Jutta Leerdam, took home the silver medal, adding to her already impressive haul at these Games. The Dutch team’s success comes on the heels of American Jordan Stolz’s victories in the men’s 500 and 1000-meter races, but the Netherlands currently leads the medal table with five gold and eleven total medals.
Kok’s record-breaking performance was a culmination of a season of dominance in the 500-meter event. Her winning time is also the fastest ever recorded at sea level, solidifying her position as a force to be reckoned with in the sport. Leerdam, who previously won gold in the 1000-meter race on February 9 – setting an Olympic record with a time of 1:12.31 – finished .66 seconds behind Kok, marking the largest margin of victory in the 500-meter event since 1972.
The atmosphere at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium was electric, with a strong contingent of Dutch fans cheering on their athletes. While the focus was on celebrating Kok and Leerdam’s achievements, the presence of Leerdam’s fiancé, Jake Paul, drew considerable attention. Some Dutch supporters expressed reservations about the social media influencer and boxer, with some describing him as “a little too extra” and “showboaty,” according to reports.
A Dutch One-Two
The Dutch team’s strategy of aiming for a “flip-flop” – with Leerdam winning the 1000m and Kok taking the 500m – proved successful. Kok, who has consistently dominated the 500m throughout the season, delivered on expectations, while Leerdam added another medal to her collection. “We are a really slight country,” Kok said, “But we can do speedskating.”
American Erin Jackson, the defending Olympic champion in the event, finished fifth after a strong start was hampered by a stumble during a turn. Jackson acknowledged Kok’s impressive performance, stating, “For her to be able to basically do what I did last Olympic cycle, come in ranked number one, winning consistently, and then to do it at the Olympics, yeah, it’s really awesome.”
Different Personalities, Shared Respect
Despite their contrasting public personas, Kok and Leerdam share a mutual respect and admiration for one another. Kok maintains a relatively low-key online presence, with her Instagram posts primarily focused on her skating life, while Leerdam’s social media showcases a more glamorous lifestyle alongside Paul. This difference is reflected in their follower counts: Leerdam boasts 6.2 million followers, compared to Kok’s 285,000.
“We wanted to push each other to the highest level,” Kok explained. “She’s a different person than me, but we’re still good, you know?” The two skaters emphasized that media portrayals often create unnecessary divisions, and they prioritize their respect for each other as athletes.
Leerdam, who secured silver at the 2022 Beijing Games in the 1000m, acknowledged the challenges of navigating tabloid attention. “It’s not always simple, especially with the media, because they aim for stories, and if they don’t have stories, they make up stories,” she said. She even addressed a rumor about training with Jordan Stolz, confirming they did skate a few laps together a week prior.
As the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics continue, the Netherlands remains a dominant force in speedskating. With several events still to come, the Dutch team is poised to add to its medal count. Leerdam and Kok’s success highlights the strength of the Dutch speedskating program and the dedication of these remarkable athletes.
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