Ning Zhongyan Sets Record, Ends Stolz’s Winning Streak Ning Zhongyan captured the men’s 1,500 m gold in Milan‑Cortina with a Games‑record 1:41.98, overtaking pre‑event favorite Jordan Stolz who finished second in 1:42.75 [1]. Stolz’s time shaved nearly half a second off the previous Olympic record yet was insufficient for gold [1]. Dutch skater Kjeld Nuis earned bronze, just 0.07 s behind Stolz, adding to his two‑time Olympic champion résumé [1]. Coach Bob Corby attributed Stolz’s loss to an off‑day rather than mental factors, noting Ning “did his best” while Stolz “didn’t have his best race” [1].

Steven Dubois Breaks Dutch Sweep in Men’s 500 m Canada’s Steven Dubois won his first individual Olympic gold in the men’s 500 m, preventing a Dutch clean sweep after Jens van ’t Wout’s earlier victories [2][3]. Melle van ’t Wout secured silver on his 26th birthday, finishing ahead of his brother Jens, who took bronze after admitting he was distracted by Melle’s surge mid‑race [2][3]. The van ’t Wout brothers thus created a rare sibling podium, with Melle earning his inaugural Olympic medal [2][3]. Dubois’s triumph followed his relay gold in Beijing and previous bronze and silver medals in the same distance and the 1,500 m [2][3].

South Korea Secures Women’s Relay Gold, Fontana Sets Italian Record The South Korean quartet of Minjeong Choi, Gilli Kim, Sukhee Shim and Dohee Noh won the women’s 3,000 m relay in 4:04.014, delivering the nation’s first short‑track relay gold at the 2026 Games [2][3]. Italy’s Arianna Fontana captured her 14th Olympic medal, surpassing Edoardo Mangiarotti’s 1960 record and becoming the most decorated Italian Winter Olympian [2][3]. Dutch skater Michelle Velzeboer crashed with 16 laps remaining, ending the Netherlands’ medal hopes in the relay [2][3]. South Korea recovered from a later crash to maintain their lead, highlighting Gilli Kim’s “Lambor‑Gilli” speed in the final sprint [3].

Dutch Team Faces Setbacks While Van ’t Wout Brothers Share Podium Jordan Stolz’s off‑day was noted by coach Bob Corby, who emphasized performance issues over psychological factors [1]. The Netherlands also suffered a fall in the women’s relay when Velzeboer went down, compounding their disappointment despite the brothers’ success [2][3]. Jens van ’t Wout’s focus shift during the 500 m race illustrated the psychological pressure of sibling competition [2][3]. Overall, the Games produced historic moments for China, Canada, South Korea and Italy, while the Dutch team contended with both podium finishes and unexpected crashes [1][2][3].