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Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands was on fire in the Women’s 1000m and raced to her second gold at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Monday. Once again the enthusiastic Dutch fans painted the arena all in orange as they celebrated their fourth medal in the Short Track at these Games. 

On the fourth day of the Olympic Short Track competition at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, the favorites prevailed in the Men’s 5000m Relay semifinals and the Men’s 500m heats. 

Velzeboer trusts her race instinct to win  

Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands confirmed her great form and struck gold again in an exciting Women’s 1000m race. Canada’s Courtney Sarault added silver to her bronze from the 500m while Kim Gilli of the Republic of Korea clinched the bronze in a tight final. 

Velzeboer started the race in third position but pulled up to second at halfway and overtook the leading Sarault in the sixth lap of nine to secure victory. 

Xandra Velzeboer (NED) won her second gold of the Milan Games, adding the 1000m title to her 500m gold © Getty Images

The Dutchwoman looked confident from the morning, winning both her quarterfinal and her semifinal.

“I'm just super happy that I could use my speed in a 1000m as well and I felt really strong,” Velzeboer noted. 

“Before the race I was already feeling I can do this. I was very focused. In the beginning of the race I wanted to pass Arianna [Fontana] and she blocked me and I was like OKkeep cool, chill a bit. 

"My coach just kept telling me before it's nine laps, it's long enough, so take your time and I could really get back in sort of relaxation and wait for my moment.”

Everything came together for Velzeboer on Monday in Milan. 

“The whole season in the 1000m, I was often in a good position in the final, but then I lacked the physical capability to finish it off,” the Dutch skater explained.

"Courtney [Sarault] was super strong in the World Tour. She really dominated the 1000m, but I was often in the position, that if I'd had the legs, I could have done it. 

"I've only had one medal in the 1000m this season, but I was confident that I could trust my race instinct.”

Velzeboer celebrates with fellow double-gold medalist Jens van 't Wout and other members of the Dutch team © Getty Images

Velzeboer felt motivated by teammate Jens Van 't Wout’s two gold medals in the Men’s 1000m and 1500m. 

“Jens' second medal gave me also so much positive energy and also that made me hungry for more," she added.

"After I had succeeded in the 500m, my main distance where for me the most pressure was on, it also lifted kind of the tension.”

Sarault gave a solid performance throughout the day as well to earn her second Olympic medal in Milan. 

“It's definitely great to have success early in the competition. I feel like it takes a little bit of the pressure off,” Sarault said. 

“It's a dream to get an Olympic medal and to secure it. The competition is really great because it is a long haul. Of course, we're going to compete, but we can enjoy a little bit more knowing that we've reached our dreams of being an Olympic medalist.”

ISU Crystal Globe winner Courtney Sarault (CAN) led for much of the final before Velzeboer's late attack snatched gold © Getty Images

Kim had to overcome a shock earlier in the day in the semifinal when she fell but was advanced to final A as Hanne Desmet (BEL) was penalized. 

It was a happy end for the Korean who came from fifth place on the starting line to sprint into bronze, her first Olympic medal. 

“When I fell [in the semi-final], I was very scared whether I got hurt, thankfully there wasn’t anything and I was in the front and I got advanced,” Kim commented. 

“It was good luck for me. This is my first Olympic Games and I am so happy and excited. I will be more confident with this medal and I want to give it my all in the relay and the 1500m,” she added. 

Kim Gilli (KOR, right) sprinted into bronze to pick up her first Olympic medal © Getty Images

Italian Short Track legend Arianna Fontana looked strong all day and put out a great fight in the final but had to settle for fourth place ahead of China's Gong Li.

The 2022 Beijing 1000m Olympic silver medalist Choi Minjeong (KOR) only made it into Final B. 

Favorites qualify for Men’s 5000m Relay final A

Defending Olympic Champions Canada and bronze medalists Italy secured their spot in Final A by coming first and second in their semifinal. 

The Netherlands and Republic of Korea contested a tight 5000m Relay semifinal but both progressed to Friday's final © Getty Images

The 2022 Olympic silver medalists Republic of Korea edged the Netherlands in the second semifinal but both advanced to Friday's Final A.

Van 't Wout and Dandjinou cruise into Men’s 500m quarters

The top stars advanced easily to the 500m quarterfinals from Monday’s heats. Two-time Olympic Champion Jens van 't Wout (NED) kept his chance for a third medal in Milan alongside reigning 500m Olympic Champion Liu Shaoang (CHN). 

Four-time ISU World Champion William Dandjinou (CAN) and 2022 Olympic 500m bronze medalist Steven Dubois (CAN) also made it safely to the quarters. 

William Dandjinou (CAN), chasing his first Olympic medal, made it safely through to the 500m quarterfinals © Getty Images

However, multiple Olympic Champion and medalist Hwang Daeheon (KOR) and 1000m Olympic bronze medalist Rim Jongun (KOR) missed out on qualifying for the next phase, while reigning 1000m Olympic silver medalist Sun Long (CHN) was penalized. 

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