Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong finally seized the Olympic gold that had eluded her, delivering a stirring performance in the women’s 1500m speed skating event at the Milan Cortina Winter Games on February 20, 2026. The Dutch skater, already a decorated veteran, clocked a stunning 1:54.09, edging out Norway’s Ragne Wiklund by a razor-thin margin of 0.06 seconds and sending a sea of orange-clad fans into a frenzy at the packed Milano Speed Skating Stadium.
The atmosphere inside the arena was electric from the outset. Thousands of Dutch supporters, dressed head-to-toe in orange, roared each time Rijpma-de Jong’s name appeared on the videoboards. Their cheers only grew louder as she skated ahead of the previous leader’s pace, culminating in an ear-splitting eruption when the number “1” flashed beside her name at the finish line. “That’s the feeling that you love the most,” Rijpma-de Jong said, beaming with pride. “That’s the feeling when you skate in the Netherlands. … I am so happy that so many people came to cheer us to the finish line. It was so loud. And it feels so good.”
Rijpma-de Jong’s victory was not just a personal milestone—it was a continuation of Dutch dominance in the event. She became the fifth consecutive Dutch woman to claim Olympic gold in the 1500m, stretching a streak that began with the Vancouver 2010 Games. The Netherlands’ grip on speed skating remains ironclad, as their athletes have now secured 11 medals at these Games, seven more than host nation Italy. All 17 of the country’s medals in Milan have come from speed skating or short track, further cementing their reputation as the sport’s powerhouse.
The race itself was a nail-biter from start to finish. Ragne Wiklund, who skated in the penultimate heat, had set a formidable time of 1:54.15. As Rijpma-de Jong took to the ice, the tension was palpable—not just among fans, but among competitors as well. Wiklund later admitted, “Maybe I do have a shot.” But all she could do was watch as Rijpma-de Jong surged past her mark. “She has been performing so, so well for so many years,” Wiklund said. “She knows what she’s doing.”
Canada’s Valerie Maltais, meanwhile, delivered a gutsy performance to claim bronze with a time of 1:54.40. Maltais is now one of just four athletes in history to reach the Olympic podium in both speed skating and short track—a rare feat that underscores her versatility. Her Milan haul includes gold in the team pursuit and bronze in the 3000m, bringing her career total to five Olympic medals. “I am super proud, and very satisfied,” Maltais said, reflecting on her achievements.
For Rijpma-de Jong, this gold was the missing piece in an already impressive collection. She now boasts six Olympic medals: one gold, two silvers, and three bronzes. “This medal means everything to me. I already had silver and bronze medals, but Olympic gold was the one still missing. I’m so proud I did it,” she exclaimed. “It can’t get any better. It’s insane. Doing it in the 1500m, not even my best distance, is crazy. It’s surreal. Skating here with a full crowd of Dutch people, all yelling me to the finish line, was incredible.”
The 2026 women’s 1500m final also marked a poignant farewell for American Brittany Bowe. The four-time Olympian finished fourth—her third fourth-place result at these Games, narrowly missing the podium with a time of 1:54.70. Bowe, who turned 38 just days after the event, had previously announced that Milan would be her Olympic swan song. Despite the heartbreak, she remained philosophical about her legacy. “I am tired of 4th-place finishes. Finishing [in] 4th place three times this Olympics is heartbreaking,” Bowe admitted. “We are all out here trying to get on that podium. To see my pair finish first and to see the gap between myself and not just a podium finish, but the top spot, is tough as a competitor.”
Bowe’s career, however, is nothing short of remarkable. She leaves the sport with 91 World Cup medals, 22 national titles, six world titles—including one in the 1500m—four world records, and four Olympic appearances. She earned her first individual Olympic medal with a 1000m bronze in 2022 and helped the U.S. to team pursuit bronze in 2018. “Speed skating has shaped me into the person I am, so it is so sad [to retire], but it is also so great that I am able to finish on my own terms, because a lot of athletes do not have that opportunity,” Bowe reflected. During these Games, Bowe also celebrated a personal milestone, getting engaged to U.S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight, who herself scored in Team USA’s dramatic 2-1 overtime gold medal win against Canada.
The Dutch team’s selection process also drew attention during these Games. Notably absent from the 1500m field was Joy Beune, who had dominated the World Cup circuit by winning all four races she entered this season. However, Beune failed to qualify at the fiercely competitive Dutch Olympic trials in December 2025—a decision that sparked debate back home about the country’s selection policies. Nevertheless, the Dutch women still swept the golds in the 500m (Femke Kok), 1000m (Jutta Leerdam), and now the 1500m with Rijpma-de Jong’s triumph.
Elsewhere, Japanese star Miho Takagi, a four-time Olympian and legend of the sport, looked poised for a sensational finish but faded in the final lap, ending up in sixth place. Czech skater Nikola Zdrahalova also competed, though she did not reach the podium. The broader field included athletes like Greta Myers of Team USA, who finished 29th, highlighting the deep international talent in women’s speed skating.
Wiklund’s silver was historic for Norway, marking her third medal in Milan and making her the first Norwegian woman in 46 years to make an Olympic speed skating podium. “I was dreaming of one medal and leaving with three is really cool,” Wiklund said. For Canada, Maltais’ bronze represented the country’s first medal in this event since their home Games in 2010, adding to the sense of occasion in Milan.
As the 2026 Winter Olympics speed skating program draws to a close, the Netherlands’ grip on the sport remains as strong as ever. Rijpma-de Jong’s golden moment not only caps her own glittering career but also reaffirms her country’s place at the pinnacle of speed skating. With the men’s and women’s mass start events still to come, fans can expect the excitement to continue on the ice in Milan.