Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands won gold in the women’s 500-meter short track speed skating event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday, February 12th. The victory marks a successful day for Dutch skaters, with compatriot Jens van ‘t Wout too claiming the men’s 1000-meter crown.
Velzeboer, who led the qualifiers with a time of 42.417 seconds on Tuesday, February 10th, continued her dominant form into the final. The win builds on previous success, having also struck gold in the 500m at the ISU Short Track World Tour event in Montreal in November 2024.
The Dutch performance comes as part of a broader competitive landscape in short track speed skating. The women’s ISU Crystal Globe race has been closely contested, with Kristen Santos-Griswold of the USA, and the Korean skaters Kim Gilli and Choi Min Jeong also vying for the top spot. Just 84 points separated those five competitors in the standings following the Montreal event.
Italy secured the first short track medal of the Games on Tuesday, winning gold in the mixed relay. Arianna Fontana, a veteran of the sport, led the Italian team to victory, adding to her already impressive Olympic medal count – a total of 12, including three golds. At 35 years traditional, Fontana is now the oldest woman to medal in Olympic short track and is only one medal shy of the Italian Olympic record held by fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti.
The Italian team’s win in the mixed relay was particularly significant, occurring on home ice and marking only the second time a gold medal has been awarded in the event. Fontana indicated a plan to retire after this season, making this Games particularly poignant.
Hanne Desmet of Belgium also claimed gold in the 1500m event at the ISU Short Track World Tour in Montreal, demonstrating the competitive intensity within the sport. The 1500m final saw a collision between Choi Min Jeong and Kristen Santos-Griswold, resulting in injuries to both skaters.
Velzeboer is scheduled to compete for her third-straight Olympic 500m title on February 12th, according to Fontana, who spoke to the media after the mixed relay victory.
