Femke Kok (NED) shattered the Dutch national record and came within 0.12s of breaking the longest standing World Record at an Olympic distance at the ISU World Cup in Salt Lake City on Saturday. Kok blew away the rest of the field in a time of 36.48s to win the first of the weekend’s two 500m races. 

In the second women’s event on Saturday, Joy Beune (NED) added another victory to Friday’s 3000m gold, winning the 1500m in a personal best time of 1 minute 51.05s.   

Kok finds redemption in 500m PB

Yukino Yoshida (JPN) was the first skater in the women’s 500m field to break the 37-second barrier on Saturday. She clocked 36.88s to take 0.58s off her previous personal best. 

That fast time triggered Kok, who had a personal best of 36.83 to her name beforehand.

“When I saw 36.88s, I knew I almost had to skate a personal best to beat it,” Kok said.

After coming second in the 1000m on Friday, Kok was seeking redemption.

“I wanted that personal best badly, because I was frustrated about yesterday’s race, when I had a very good first lap, but made a couple of mistakes in the second full lap.

“I knew I had the speed, because yesterday’s opener was good, so my goal was to skate a fast full lap today, and I managed.”

Femke Kok (NED) took 0.35s off her personal best in the 500m to edge ever closer to Sang-Hwa Lee's 2013 World Record. © ISU

In Saturday’s 500m, Kok opened with 10.27s, equaling her fastest opener ever. Adding a full lap of 26.21s, she finished just 0.12s short of the world record set by Sang-Hwa Lee (KOR) on 16 November 2013 at the same rink.

Analyzing her race, Kok, who has watched footage of Lee’s race over and over, concluded that the world record was no longer out of reach.

“Crossing the line, that was the first thing I thought: it’s getting really close now, only 0.12s.

“Lee’s opener was 10.09s. My start wasn’t flawless. I skated against Kaja Ziomek-Nogal (POL), and I know she’s a fast opener. I wanted to keep up and because of that I was running more than skating. 

“This track [the high-altitude Utah Olympic Oval] glides more than other tracks, where you have to run more. Here, you have to start gliding sooner. That’s something I can improve.

“The World Record is super sharp, but I hope to be able to continue improving.”

After Kok, Erin Jackson (USA) clocked 36.87s to push Yoshida into third place. Kok, Jackson and Yoshida were the only three skaters to go under 37s on Saturday.

Medalists Erin Jackson (USA, left), Kok (center) and Yukino Yoshida (JPN, right) were the only skaters to break the 37-second mark in Saturday's 500m. © ISU

Jackson agreed with Kok on the achievability of Lee’s World Record. 

“I think it's definitely feasible, but we're a bit early in the season. I wish we had Salt Lake City at maybe World Cup three or four. But still, I think it's possible,” said the American.

“It's nice to see how fast [Kok] is going, because I think no one's been that close to the world record since probably Nao Kodaira (JPN) in 2019 [Kodaira skated 36.39].”

Jackson was also happy with her own race, especially because she could skate without having to worry much about the back injury that’s been hampering her for a long time. 

“The race last week on Friday [the Beehive Run in Salt Lake City] was my first race where I didn't have to worry about my back in three years. It was just an amazing feeling. So I'm really, really excited.

“Unfortunately, I still have to be careful, but it's, I would say, probably 80 percent, which is really good for me."

Yoshida, who won two 500m races last World Cup season, was still surprised to end up on the podium in Salt Lake City.

“I hadn’t expected this, but it’s awesome to skate a personal best and end up on the podium too," she said.

"And this being the first World Cup, it’s great to see where I stand while everyone has improved.”

Beune doubles up in 1500m

Facing each other in the 1500m, Joy Beune (NED) and Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong (NED) had the exact same personal best time of 1:51.72 to their names. After an exciting battle, they both ended up with new personal bests, but Beune took 0.67s off her previous mark and Rijpma-de Jong only 0.01s. 

For Beune it meant her second gold medal of the season after Friday’s 3000m win, and for Rijpma-de Jong it was a confidence boost after a disappointing ninth place in the 1000m on Friday.

Joy Beune (NED) added 1500m gold to Friday's 3000m win, smashing her personal best to edge out teammate Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong. © ISU

Beune and Rijpma-de Jong had already faced each other twice in the 1500m this season.

“I’m getting used to it, I expected to face Antoinette again,” Beune smiled afterwards. 

“I felt that I had good pace, only the opener is not what it should be yet. But all-in-all I’m really happy with this race, it’s a huge personal best, that’s something I can build on.”

Rijpma-de Jong had enjoyed the latest encounter with her compatriot.

“It’s a great pair. I won two and unfortunately I lost this one, but it’s great to face each other because it’s always a good race against a strong opponent.

“This race was so much better than yesterday, when it was really chaotic. I was like a car with a lot of power when you step on the gas too hard - a lot of power but nowhere to go. Today it came together technically.”

Like Beune (center), Rijpma-de Jong (left) and Ragne Wiklund (NOR, right) set PBs in the event, Wiklund taking bronze in a Norwegian record time. © ISU

Things also came together for Ragne Wiklund (NOR). The Norwegian winner of last season’s long distance World Cup hadn’t been on a 1500m World Cup podium since 2023, but managed to take bronze in a national record time of 1:51.96. 

“It’s been a long time in the 1500m. I’ve been training for the 3000m more, and I think that's more fun, but I think the 1500m will always be a bit special to me since it's the first distance that I had my first big race in internationally in my breakthrough season in 2018,” she explained.