Dutch Dominate Short Track: Velzeboer and Van ‘t Wout Strike Gold at Milan Cortina Olympics

Milan, Italy – The Netherlands celebrated a golden double at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Thursday, February 12, 2026, as Xandra Velzeboer and Jens van ‘t Wout secured victories in the women’s 500m and men’s 1,000m short track speed skating events, respectively.

Velzeboer Shatters Records in 500m Triumph

Xandra Velzeboer delivered a dominant performance in the women’s 500m, finishing in 41.609 seconds to claim the gold medal. This victory came after she broke her own world record in the semifinals with a time of 41.399 seconds, improving upon her previous record of 41.416 seconds set in 2022 ESPN.

The Dutch skater’s performance denied Italian legend Arianna Fontana a historic third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event. Fontana secured the silver medal with a time of 42.294 seconds, marking her 13th Olympic medal in short track, extending her record as the most decorated short track skater NBC Olympics. Canada’s Courtney Sarault rounded out the podium with a bronze medal.

Van ‘t Wout Secures First Dutch Men’s 1,000m Gold

Jens van ‘t Wout added to the Dutch success with a thrilling victory in the men’s 1,000m. He overtook Canada’s William Dandjinou in the final lap to secure the gold medal with a time of 1 minute, 24.537 seconds ESPN.

Sun Long of China finished closely behind in 1:24.565, earning the silver medal, while Rim Jong-Un of South Korea took the bronze. This win marked only the second Olympic medal for the Netherlands in the men’s 1,000m event NBC Olympics.

Fontana’s Continued Legacy

Despite missing out on the gold in the 500m, Arianna Fontana’s silver medal further cemented her status as a short track icon. She had previously earned gold in the women’s 3,000-meter relay on Tuesday, bringing her total Olympic medal count to 13, tying her with fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti as the most decorated Italian Olympian NBC Olympics. The 35-year-old Fontana is competing in her sixth Olympic Games.

Key Takeaways

• Xandra Velzeboer won gold in the women’s 500m, setting a new world record in the semifinals.
• Jens van ‘t Wout secured gold in the men’s 1,000m, marking the Netherlands’ first win in the event.
• Arianna Fontana of Italy extended her record as the most decorated short track skater with her 13th Olympic medal.