"Many Dutch people live for this sport in winter, when their waterways can freeze over, making it often more convenient to skate than walk. Femke Kok has won the last three world titles over 500m. In November she broke the world record over that distance. On Monday she lined up alongside the 1,000m world record-holder, the 37-year-old Brittany Bowe, leaving her trailing in her wake and broke the Olympic record for good measure."
"She was last on the ice this time and down on Kok's splits for the first couple of laps before storming back against Japan's Miho Takagi. Leerdam emptied the tank and burst over the line, stripping Kok of her Olympic record and the gold in the process. The effort was exhausting. I couldn't really stand, I couldn't really see, I couldn't do anything, Leerdam said."
Thousands of Dutch fans filled Milan's speed skating stadium, many wearing orange, with King Willem-Alexander among the crowd. Femke Kok, three-time 500m world champion and recent 500m world-record setter, broke the Olympic record in the 1,000m before being overtaken. Jutta Leerdam trailed early, then stormed back against Japan's Miho Takagi, emptied the tank and crossed the line to claim gold and the Olympic record. Jake Paul and Queen Máxima were among spectators. Milano Cortina officials are investigating repeatedly broken medals. Kirsty Muir narrowly missed freeski slopestyle bronze, Mia Brookes finished fourth in snowboard big air, and Kokomo Murase won slopestyle with a frontside triple cork 1440.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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