Speed skating · Global
Kok sets Olympic record to win five hundred metres
Leerdam and Takagi again joined the Dutch sprinter on the podium.
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Femke Kok won the Olympic women’s five hundred metres in 36.49 seconds, setting a record and finishing as the only athlete below thirty-seven seconds. Jutta Leerdam took silver in 37.15, while Miho Takagi earned bronze in 37.27.
Kok raced in the final pair against defending champion Erin Jackson. The Dutch athlete’s time improved Nao Kodaira’s previous Olympic record by 0.45 seconds and delivered the Netherlands its first women’s Olympic gold in the shortest individual speed skating distance.
The result reversed the top two positions from the thousand metres, which Leerdam had won ahead of Kok. Takagi repeated her bronze finish from that race. Kok described confidence in the high-speed turns as a benefit of training alongside fast male teammates.
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