Miho Takagi, at 32, has reaffirmed her status as a standout in speed skating by winning a bronze medal in the women's 500m event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Competing at the Speed Skating Stadium in Milan, she finished with a time of 37.27 seconds, placing third behind the Netherlands’ Femke Kok and Utah’s Leerdam. This achievement marks her second medal in the ongoing Olympics, after having already secured a bronze in the 1000m event, bringing her overall Olympic medal tally to nine (2 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze). Takagi now holds the record for the most Olympic medals among female Japanese athletes, both in the Winter and Summer Games.

Takagi’s journey in speed skating started in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics at the age of 16, where she placed low in the rankings. However, she gradually rose to prominence, becoming a central figure in Team Japan, especially after winning three medals at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics including gold in the team pursuit. Her remarkable transformation continued with a stellar performance at the 2022 Beijing Games, where she claimed four medals including a gold in the 1000m, establishing herself as a world-class athlete.

With the team pursuit and 1500m events still to come in this Olympics, there is a strong possibility that Takagi will further increase her medal count, potentially reaching eleven Olympic medals. Displaying her versatility as a skater, she has not only excelled in middle-distance events but has also shown her competitiveness in the 500m event as a registered middle-distance athlete. Takagi expressed her happiness in securing third place in the 500m and shared her determination for the upcoming team pursuit event, stating, "I don't want to lose."