Xandra Velzeboer didn’t just win gold—she obliterated the record books.
The 22-year-old Dutch speed skater broke her own world record in the women’s 500m short track, clocking an astonishing 41.399 seconds in the semifinals before dominating the final at Milano Cortina 2026. Hours later, teammate Jens van ‘t Wout captured men’s 1000m gold, giving the Netherlands a stunning double victory on Day 6.
The Dutch surge stunned Olympic analysts. The Netherlands had never been a short track powerhouse—until now. Velzeboer’s time shaved precious milliseconds off her previous record and cemented her status as the fastest woman on ice.
Day 6 Upset Alert: Australia Ends Canada’s Moguls Dynasty
Cooper Woods pulled off one of the day’s biggest shocks by defeating Mikael Kingsbury, the Canadian moguls legend. Both scored 83.71 points, but Woods won on a tiebreak—ending Kingsbury’s bid for a third straight Olympic title and delivering Australia its first moguls gold in history.
Fast Facts From Day 6
- Federica Brignone (Italy): Won women’s super-G for host nation’s first alpine skiing gold
- Alessandro Haemmerle (Austria): Defended snowboard cross title by 0.03 seconds—the closest margin in Olympic history
- Chloe Kim (USA): Lost halfpipe gold to Choi Ga-on (South Korea), ending her Olympic winning streak
- Total medals awarded: 11 across 5 sports on Thursday
Why It Matters
The Netherlands’ dominance signals a seismic shift in short track speed skating. Traditionally ruled by South Korea, China, and Canada, the sport now has a new European force. Velzeboer’s world record—set under Olympic pressure—ranks among the most impressive athletic feats of Milano Cortina 2026. Meanwhile, Woods’ tiebreak victory over Kingsbury proves that Olympic dynasties can crumble in milliseconds, reshaping the landscape of freestyle skiing heading into the 2030 Games.
Jordan Blake is a rogue film critic and former VFX compositor with over 15 years of industry experience. Tired of paid reviews and “safe” opinions, Jordan left the studio system to tell the audience what Hollywood won’t. He specializes in forensic frame-by-frame analysis, exposing bad CGI, and decoding hidden lore that others miss.
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