Speed skating-Leerdam wins 1,000m gold with Games record

MILAN, Feb 9 : Jutta Leerdam stormed to 1,000m gold at the Milano Cortina Winter Games on Monday with an Olympic-record time, spearheading a Dutch sweep of the top two places ahead of Femke Kok.

Japan's most decorated female Olympian Miho Takagi took the bronze at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.

Leerdam - the 2020 and 2023 world single-distance champion in the 1,000m - stopped the clock at one minute 12.31 seconds, finishing 0.28 seconds clear of Kok to give the Netherlands their first gold medal of the Games.

Competing at her second Games and with fiance Jake Paul watching from the stands, the 27-year-old sprint specialist secured her second Olympic medal, adding to the 1,000m silver she won at Beijing 2022.

Drawn in the 15th and final pair, Leerdam skated in the outer lane alongside defending Olympic champion Takagi.

Kok had appeared to be on course for gold after breaking the Olympic record while skating in the 13th pair with American Brittany Bowe, only for Leerdam to eclipse her time minutes later with a blistering pace.