Ireen Wüst wins history-making gold medal at Beijing Winter Olympics in speed skating

Ireen Wüst has become the first athlete to win an individual event at five consecutive Olympic Games.

The 35-year-old Dutchwoman obliterated the field in the 1,500 metres at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, winning by 0.44 seconds in a new Olympic record time of 1:53.28.

«It's really hard to describe,» she told the Olympic News Service.

«A lot of emotions, especially the good ones. I don't realise it yet.

»It's insane, actually."

It was her 12th Olympic medal, her sixth gold to go alongside five silvers and a single bronze.

She is the seventh person to win a gold medal in five consecutive Olympics, but all the others competed in team events.

World record holder Miho Takagi of Japan, who went in the final pairing, was unable to haul in her rival's time to finish second with Dutch skater Antoinette de Jong third.

«I really have to say congratulations because she really did amazing today,» De Jong said of her illustrious teammate.

«It's amazing she is able to skate a perfect race at the moments it matters.»

Wüst's record is an example of remarkable longevity.

She became the youngest ever Dutch winner of an Olympic gold medal in Turin in 2006 by winning the 3,000m aged 19.

Wüst added the first of her three 1,500m titles in Vancouver in 2010.

A five-medal haul followed in Sochi, with two golds — in the 3,000m and the team pursuit — and three silvers.

Four years ago in PyeongChang, Wüst reclaimed the 1,500m title, which she defended in Beijing to cement her legacy as the greatest and most decorated Dutch Olympian of all time.

Wüst has said the Beijing Olympics would be her last before she retired from the sport.