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Jutta Leerdam (NED) did what she came to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 to do - pick up gold in the 1000m. 

After Femke Kok (NED) skated a sensational Olympic record of 1 minute and 12.59s in the second last pair, Leerdam managed to skate 0.28s faster in the final pairing versus Miho Takagi (JPN). The defending champion from Japan finished a distant third at 1.64s from the winner.

Leerdam's record race ‘a work of art’

With Kok's 1:12.59 on the scoreboard, the fastest time ever skated on a sea-level track, Leerdam knew she had to come up with something really special to take gold. Her fellow Dutchwoman's fabulous time even took away a bit of the pressure Leerdam had put on herself to win gold in Milan, she said.

"Maybe it was a bit less pressure because it [Kok's time] was just so fast, I had respect for the fact that it was so fast and if that ends up to be the fastest and I would not have been able to go faster, that's just what it is,” she explained

"I just did everything I could to skate fast, and then at least I've given it my all and if it would be faster, it would be faster. And eventually it was faster so that's really special."

Jutta Leerdam (NED) established a commanding lead over pair-mate Miho Takagi (JPN) on her way to seizing Olympic gold © Getty Images

Leerdam stopped the clock at 1 minute and 12.31s, crossing the line in disbelief.

"I couldn't believe it, but I was also so tired. It was hard to feel something. 

"I couldn't really stand, I couldn't really see, I couldn't do anything. 

"I knew that if during the race I would feel tired, I wasn't allowed to feel tired. I told myself: 'You have 80 years to recover from this, you can feel tired after. You don't want to live with that regret. You fought so hard for this'.”

Leerdam celebrates her feat in winning Olympic gold and beating Femke Kok's newly-set Olympic record © Getty Images

Leerdam's coach Kosta Poltavets said that he had never seen a women's 1000m competition at this level and labelled his pupil's race 'a work of art'.

"If he says it, it's definitely true," Leerdam said. "Kosta told me 1:12 in Milan, and I thought, I don't know how fast [the ice in] Milan will be…

"But I believed in him and he believed in me, everything turned out so well."

Leerdam's coach Kosta Poltavets declared his pupil's gold medal performance 'a work of art' © Getty Images

Before the Olympic Games, there had been speculation around Leerdam quitting the sport after she'd won a gold medal, but she doesn’t want to think about the future just yet.

"That's really not on my mind at the moment. I'm just realizing that I'm an Olympic Champion." 

‘Improving’ Takagi celebrates her rivals

Starting in the inner lane of the final pairing, Takagi was able to cross in front of Leerdam at the first back-stretch, giving her Dutch rival the advantage of a draft. When the pair got onto the second backstretch, Takagi was not able to gain a similar advantage because Leerdam was already too far ahead.

Reigning Olympic Champion Takagi praised her record-breaking rivals after taking the bronze © Getty Images

The defending champion fought on to the line to take bronze.

“Right after I crossed the line, I had a feeling of relief, and I also really strongly felt I wanted to celebrate the two skaters ahead of me,” Takagi said.

"At the same time, looking back on the season, and especially because I struggled a lot, there was some sense of reassurance that I was able to make it to this point.

“Fortunately for me, I still have other races to come, and I feel my condition is improving. So I want to use this frustration as something that helps me take another step, or two steps, forward toward what comes next.” 

Takagi still has the 500m, 1500m and Team Pursuit to come at these Games.

Kok: ‘The best 1000m I could do’

Before Femke Kok took the ice against Brittany Bowe (USA), Erin Jackson (USA) had set the fastest time in 1 minute 15.00s. Both Kok and Bowe got out of the blocks faster than Jackson and they kept building speed, with Kok quickly skating away from her pair-mate. 

Femke Kok had thoughts of gold after posting the fastest ever sea-level time in the 1000m © Getty Images

After clocking a new Olympic record, for a moment Kok allowed herself to dream of the gold medal.

"I knew Jutta had never skated this time in Europe before, so I knew I had a shot at gold. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite enough,” Kok admitted.

"But on the other hand, this was the best 1000m I could do. When I crossed that finish line I was just so happy, overwhelmed. I also started to dream about gold, so that's why there are some mixed feelings. But overall, I'm very happy."

Kok was the only skater apart from Leerdam to post a sub-27s first full lap (Kok's at 26.5s to Leerdam's 26.1s), and she also was the only one besides Leerdam to post a sub-29s final lap. Her time was 2.41s faster than Jackson’s.

Kok, Leerdam and Takagi celebrate their medals with a podium selfie © Getty Images

Bowe finished in 1:14.55, way behind Kok but still fast enough to take fourth place. 

"Obviously I was aiming for the podium and it is tough finishing in that fourth position. But I’m pleased with my race. I skated as hard as I could and I left it all out there.

"Those three women [Leerdam, Kok and Takagi] have been pretty dominant all season, with Jutta and Femke both skating under the Olympic record to go first and second, and Miho always skating solid races.”