Dutch speed skater Femke Kok made history on Sunday, February 15, 2026, by winning the gold medal in the women’s 500-meter race at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Kok set a new Olympic record with a time of 36.49 seconds, shattering the previous mark of 36.94 seconds set by Japan's Nao Kodaira in 2018.

This victory marks the first time a Dutch woman has ever won Olympic gold in the 500-meter distance. Skating in the final pairing against defending champion Erin Jackson, Kok maintained her unbeaten season streak to secure the title.

Dutch Dominance: The Netherlands secured a 1–2 finish, with Jutta Leerdam taking the silver medal just days after she won gold in the 1,000m race.

Margin of Victory: Kok’s 0.66-second lead over silver medalist Leerdam is the largest winning margin in this event at the Olympics since 1972.

Perfect Season: The gold medal caps a perfect season for Kok, who won every 500m ISU World Cup race leading up to the Games."#Write2Earn @EthiocoinGiram1