At the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, Dutch speed skater Femke Kok made history by winning the women's 500-meter event, setting a new Olympic record with a time of 36.49 seconds. Kok raced alongside Erin Jackson, the gold medalist from the previous Beijing Olympics, showcasing a competitive spirit throughout the event. This victory not only marks Kok's achievement but also highlights the remarkable dominance of the Dutch in speed skating, as they secured a double podium with Jutta Leerdam, who had previously won gold in the 1000 meters just days earlier.

The performance of both Kok and Leerdam underscores the remarkable caliber of female speed skaters from the Netherlands, reinforcing their position as frontrunners in this sport during the Games. The bronze went to Japan's Miho Takagi, who skated to a time of 37.27 seconds, finishing just ahead of Italy's Serena Pergher by three hundredths of a second. Meanwhile, defending champion Erin Jackson faced a disappointing fifth place finish, trailing behind the medalists by a substantial margin.

This edition of the Winter Olympics has been particularly fruitful for Dutch and Italian women, who have collectively claimed four speed skating gold medals across various distances, with three Olympic records achieved during these intense competitions. The stage is set for even more thrilling races as competitors continue to battle for glory, with a total of 31 participants lining up for the 500-meter race at the venue in Milan, including British athlete Ellia Smeding.