Dutch speed skaters remain atop as challengers bob up at Beijing 2022
Netherlands' Irene Schouten celebrates winning the women's speed skating mass start final during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on February 19.
When Irene Schouten snatched her third gold medal on the last competition day, the top-notch speed skaters of the Netherlands once again proved their prowess at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
29-year-old Schouten claimed top honors in women's 3,000m, 5,000m and mass start and a bronze in the team pursuit, contributing to the dominant display by the Dutch who headed the speed skating medal table with six gold, four silver and two bronze medals.
The baton has been passed. Dutch speed skating legend Ireen Wust concluded her glorious Olympic career after winning the 1,500m title, becoming the first female to win an individual gold at five different Winter Olympics.
"I will leave the sport as an Olympic champion. That's just insane," said the 35-year-old Dutchwoman, who extended her mark as the most decorated Olympic speed skater of all time with 13 medals in all.
Thomas Krol of the Netherlands wrapped up his first Olympic journey with a gold medal in men's 1,000m after losing to his compatriot Kjeld Nuis to settle for the silver despite an impressive display.
But challengers for the Dutch team emerged at the National Speed Skating Oval.
Chinese skater Gao Tingyu won the men's 500m with a new Olympic record and made history to become China's first-ever male Olympic gold medalist in speed skating.
"I said it, and I made it," Gao said after the race, noting that he was resolved to change the color of his medal after claiming a bronze in the 500m at the PyeongChang Games.
Japan's Miho Takagi added a gold to her threefold Beijing silverware after winning the women's 1,000m. Besides Schouten, she was the only other athlete to bag four-speed skating medals at the Games.
Nils van der Poel of Sweden claimed the 5,000m and 10,000m titles, and in the latter, he refreshed his own previous world record.
Meanwhile, Claudia Pechstein of Germany who will celebrate her 50th birthday on February 22, achieved her feat at the Beijing Games to become the first female Olympian competing in eight Winter Olympics.
