On the 14th day of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, the Dutch athletes are aiming for more medals in both long and short track speed skating events.
Long Track Speed Skating Medal Opportunities
In long track skating, the spotlight is on Femke Kok. She is competing in the final classic distance, the 1,500 meters. Kok is pursuing her third medal after winning gold in the 500 meters and silver in the 1,000 meters. The first heat begins at 16:30, where Kok will skate alone due to her lack of experience in World Cup events for this distance. This situation is unique; historically, it has only occurred once that a skater secured gold starting from the first heat—a record held by German skater Jacqueline Börner in 1992.
Another athlete to watch is Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong. She previously earned bronze in the 1,500 meters at the last Winter Olympics and this will be her first individual event in Milan. Rijpma-de Jong, alongside Marijke Groenewoud and Joy Beune, earned a silver medal in the team pursuit earlier this week. Groenewoud will also compete in the 1,500 meters.
International Competitors
Key rivals for the Dutch athletes include:
- Ragne Wiklund (silver in the 3,000 meters)
- Miho Takagi (bronze in the 1,000 meters and silver in the 1,500 meters at prior Olympics)
Short Track Highlights
The short track events will see the final medals awarded tonight, starting at 20:15. Suzanne Schulting is making her comeback in the 1,500 meters after being sidelined due to injuries. Despite limited competition in the last two years, she secured her selection by performing well in the Dutch national championships.
Xandra Velzeboer and Michelle Velzeboer will join Schulting in the long-distance event. Xandra Velzeboer already has claimed golds in the 500 meters and 1,000 meters. She aims for a third medal after her team’s setback in the relay earlier this week.
Men’s Relay Final
The men’s relay team, featuring Jens van ‘t Wout and his brother Melle—both strong competitors—will also seek more medals today. Jens has already won two gold medals in this competition.
Additional Events on Day 14
Numerous freestyle ski events are set for today, including:
- Women’s cross
- Men’s halfpipe
- Men’s aerials
The ice hockey semi-finals will feature the Canadian team against Finland and the United States facing Slovakia. The curling tournaments are nearing their conclusions, with women’s semi-finals and the men’s consolation finals scheduled. Biathletes will compete in a mass start event at 14:15, a thrilling race involving thirty competitors over 15 kilometers.
Follow the Olympics
Day 14 of the Winter Olympics can be followed on El-Balad and through various streaming options. Radio coverage is also available via NPO Radio 1.
As of now, no additional medals have been won by the Dutch team.
