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The Netherlands is the undisputed heavyweight champion of long track Speed Skating. With a current total of 48 Olympic gold medals, the Dutch are likely to seize their 50th Olympic title at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The United States are second with 30 gold medals and Norway are third with 28 Olympic titles. 

More skaters than quota places

As much as Vincent van Gogh, wooden shoes and windmills, speed skating is part of Dutch heritage. Thialf ice stadium in Heerenveen, the Netherlands, is the global center of long track Speed Skating with its iconic orange crowd cheering for skaters from all over the world. 

The Netherlands is the only NOC which is represented by the maximum amount of nine skaters per gender, but they have more skaters than Olympic quota places.

For some Dutch skaters, the Olympic trials are more difficult than the Games itself. Having won four out of five 1500m races in the World Cup this season, Joy Beune failed to qualify for her favorite distance in Milan. She will, however, compete in the 3000m and the Team Pursuit. 

Joy Beune, leading out Antoinette Rijpma-De Jong and Marijke Groenewoud above, will compete for the Netherlands in the Team Pursuit © ISU

With Femke Kok, pictured top, Jutta Leerdam and Marijke Groenewoud the Dutch still have strong contenders across all women's events.

Stolz the American phenomenon

In the men's competition, the Dutch have lost their dominance over the past decade, winning five gold medals in Sochi 2014, three in PyeongChang 2018, and two in Beijing 2022. With Jordan Stolz (USA) as anchor, the United States seem to be on course to take the majority of the titles in Milan.

Jordan Stolz (USA) has become a familiar sight on the top step of the podium. Can he claim Olympic glory in Milan? © ISU

The phenomenon from Wisconsin has won the 500m, 1000m and 1500m World Cup Trophies in each of the last two seasons. With the Mass Start also in his sights, he is aiming at four titles in Milan, and the renowned USA Pain Train with Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman and Ethan Cepuran (USA) will hope to claim the Team Pursuit title after having won the World Cup Trophy five consecutive times. 

Historic powerhouse

Norway is an historic powerhouse in speed skating. Before the Dutch took over, the Scandinavians dominated the Olympic medal table. With fresh 5000m World Record holder Sander Eitrem and Ragne Wiklund, who seized her fourth consecutive long-distance World Cup trophy two weeks ago, Norway has a couple of strong contenders in Milan again.

Ragne Wiklund (NOR) arrives in Milan fresh from securing her fourth consecutive long-distance World Cup Trophy  © ISU

Big delegations

After the Netherlands, China and Canada have the biggest representations in long-track speed skating at this Olympic Games, with 15 competitors each. 

While Canada has a strong speed skating tradition, especially in the short distances, China is an up-and-coming power in the sport. Zhang Hong won China's first Olympic Long Track title in the women's 1000m in Sochi 2014 and Gao Tingyu was the first Chinese men to win Long Track gold in the men's 500m four years ago in Beijing.

With 14 skaters, Japan, anchored by superstar Miho Takagi, has a big representation in Milan too.

Defending 1000m champion Miho Takagi will be hoping to add to her tally of seven Olympic Games medals © ISU

Home hopes

Home nation Italy will be chasing silverware through veterans Francesca Lollobrigida and Andrea Giovannini in the Mass Start and 10,000m World Record holder Davide Ghiotto (ITA) in the long distances.

Poland and Germany in the mix

Poland and Germany are also in the mix for medals. Since the opening of the Arena Lodowa in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Polish skating has been on its way up and Tomaszów-born Damian Zurek is a serious challenger to Jordan Stolz in both the 500m and the 1000m. 

Damian Zurek (POL) is one of the few skaters to have finished ahead of Jordan Stolz this season - can he repeat the feat on the biggest stage of all? © ISU

Germany's 1000m and 1500m prodigy Finn Sonnekalb, at the age of 18 still a junior skater, hopes to become the first male Olympic medalist from Germany since Jens Bode took 5000m bronze at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

Republic of Korea and Belgium eye Mass Start gold

The Republic of Korea is the biggest NOC in Short Track, but they also stand their ground in long track. Women sprinters such as Kim Min-Sun and Lee Nahyun hope to surprise in the short distances, while Chung Jae Won hopes to upgrade his Beijing Mass Start silver to gold in Milan.

Mass Start king Bart Swings (BEL) is aiming to retain his historic Olympic title in the tactical, if sometimes chaotic, free-for-all © ISU

In that Mass Start, Chung takes on the absolute king of the discipline, Bart Swings from Belgium. Four years ago he was the first Belgian skater to ever win an Olympic title in long-track Speed Skating. In Milan he'll anchor a team of six skaters.