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Xandra Velzeboer and Jens van ’t Wout struck double gold for the Netherlands in the Women’s 500m and the Men’s 1000m at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Thursday. Italy’s Short Track queen Arianna Fontana also raced to her 13th Olympic medal in what was another exciting day at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Velzeboer golden as records tumble

Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands skated off with her first individual Olympic gold medal while the legendary Arianna Fontana once more made Italy proud by taking the silver, her 13th Olympic medal. 

Canadian Courtney Sarault earned her first Olympic medal with the bronze. 

Following the shock in the Mixed Relay when she fell in the semis, Velzeboer was determined not to let another medal opportunity slip away. The multiple World Champion cruised easily into the final, setting an Olympic Record in the quarters and a new World Record in the semis. Velzeboer controlled the final from the start, holding off Fontana to take the crown. 

Xandra Velzeboer (NED) bounced back from a fall in the Mixed Relay to cruise to the 500m gold, breaking the World Record on the way © Getty Images

“It [the fall in the Mixed Relay] didn’t change my focus. I had my goals for this day,” Velzeboer noted. 

“It was a big disappointment for the team but we skated very fast. I switched my focus to this day and I had the goal to win and it didn’t change.”

Velzeboer took it all in today to celebrate her first individual Olympic gold medal. 

“It feels unbelievable. I became World Champion a few times. It was pressure, I wanted to become Olympic Champion but it also gave me a lot of confidence. It is amazing that I did it and I’m super happy,” she shared.

Patient Fontana delights home crowd with silver

Cheered on by the enthusiastic home crowd, Fontana had another great day at the rink. The two-time 500m Olympic Champion raced against Velzeboer in the quarters and semis and knew what she was up against in the final. The 35-year-old Italian kept her calm to bring home the silver.

Arianna Fontana (ITA) gave the home crowd more to cheer with her second medal of these Games and her 13th overall © Getty Images

“It was a crazy day,” Fontana commented. “Xandra was on fire, she deserved the gold medal.

“It feels incredible,” the Italian star said about winning silver. 

“I started today thinking about what it took me to be here after the [hip] injury in October. I had so many doubts if I was going to be here to compete with the best athletes. 

“I got here, got my fastest 500m ever in my career, I go home with another medal, a silver that for me is like gold.

“I was trying to give it all on the ice and I was so happy and proud of all the work that me and my team did to bring me here.”

Sitting in fourth throughout the final, Sarault make her move right at the end to overtake Selma Poutsma (NED) for the bronze. 

A late move for bronze put Courtney Sarault (CAN, right) onto the podium alongside Fontana and Velzeboer © Getty Images

“Any medal in the 500m feels like a gold for me,” Sarault said.

“I wasn't labeled as a 500m girl and kind of got stuck in a bracket of being longer distances. I felt like I had more to give and I could be a challenger in the 500m. 

“This summer my coach trusted me and said, OK, if you want to do it, let's get some special training in for it and do some specific things. We just work together to make this come true. It's surreal.”

Poutsma came fourth while 2022 Olympic 500m bronze medalist Kim Boutin (CAN) was fifth. 

Three-time Olympic Champion Choi Minjeong (KOR) could only make the B Final. 

Van 't Wout celebrates first Olympic medal with 1000m gold 

Jens van 't Wout of the Netherlands came out on top in what was a thrilling race in the Men’s 1000m. 

China’s Sun Long grabbed silver, edging exciting newcomer Rim Jongun of the Republic of Korea into third.

Van ’t Wout had a strong start in the final and stayed in second position behind top favorite William Dandjinou (CAN), waiting for his chance. And then, in the last lap, the moment came. The Dutchman used a slip by Dandjinou to pull ahead and cross the finish line in front to win his very first Olympic medal. 

Jens Van 't Wout (NED) claimed victory by less than half a blade after a late move took him past favourite William Dandjinou (CAN) © Getty Images

"I can't believe it,” van ‘t Wout said. “I went to the Olympics hoping, dreaming. But [William] Dandjinou was so strong this season and I had a rough season. 

"I wasn't sure, but everyone on my team believed in me, and they brought me to that gold medal." 

Van ‘t Wout and his brother and fellow racer Melle had been studying Dandjinou all season to find any weakness and point of attack. 

"William made a small slip, and it just clicked. I knew I needed to attack. The attack worked. It was amazing," the new Olympic Champion shared. 

Van 't Wout celebrates his 1000m triumph, the second Dutch Short Track gold medal of the night © Getty Images

Van ‘t Wout felt inspired by his teammate Xandra Velzenboer’s success in the Women’s 500m. 

“To see the power she [Velzenboer] won the race – it was not even close – it definitely did inspire me. To see Selma [Poutsma] fighting for third with all the great skaters, it gave me a boost and confidence to be able to race to my best,” he noted.

Sun stays calm to take silver

Coming from fourth, Sun had caught up but finished just behind Van ‘t Wout to earn his first Olympic medal as well with the silver. 

Sun Long (CHN) put his performance - and his first Olympic medal - down to staying calm © Getty Images

“I kept telling myself to stay calm. And on the basis of that calmness, to try to produce a better performance,” Sun said. 

“It was simply about racing and making an overtake at the right moment,” he explained. 

“In the end I was just a little bit short. But congratulations to the Dutch skater [gold medallist Van ‘t Wout] as well. I think we both performed at our very best.”

Rim sprint clinches bronze

Youngster Rim was only in fifth position until the last lap but sprinted on the last meters to clinch the bronze in his Olympic debut. 

"I wanted to skate without regrets so I didn't give up until the end and decided to trust myself based on what I was able to achieve so far,” Rim shared. 

Rim Jongun (KOR, right) joins Sun and Van 't Wout on the podium, all three showing off their maiden Olympic medals © Getty Images

"This is my new beginning,” the 18-year-old continued. “It's like my era has come. I did not give up and went out there with confidence and boldness. In the next competitions ahead, I will be able to show many more great performances without getting nervous."

Four-time ISU World Champion Dandjinou seemed to control the race from the start but his tiny mistake cost him a medal and he finished fourth. “It happens. I will be back”, he commented. 

Hot favorite and World Record holder Hwang Daeheon (KOR) was penalized in the quarterfinal and left the competition. The 2022 Olympic bronze medalist Liu Shaoang (CHN) made it only into the B Final. 

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