Femke Kok has become world sprint champion for the first time. The 25-year-old athlete did this by also winning the fourth distance of the World Championships in Thialf. She remained undefeated throughout the World Sprint Championships. With Suzanne Schulting (silver) and Marrit Fledderus (bronze), the podium is entirely Dutch for the first time.
Kok is the fourth Dutch skater to win the world sprint title. Marianne Timmer was the first in 2004. Afterwards, Jorien ter Mors (2018) and Jutta Leerdam (2022) also became sprint world champions.
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Kok entered the final 1000 meters with a lead of 3.79 seconds over Schulting and 5.58 seconds over Fledderus. Schulting achieved a time of 1.14.12 in the penultimate stage against Kaja Ziomek-Nogal from Poland and thus remained well ahead of the Polish woman in the rankings. She was also faster than the Canadian Beatrice Lamarche. Kok won the 1000 meters with 1.13.38. Fledderus defended her third place in the rankings with the third time of 1.15.07.
Before the World Cup, Kok was the top favorite. She previously won gold in the 500 meters and silver in the 1000 meters at the Milan Olympic Games and has been the world record holder in the 500 meters since November. Kok came second at the previous two World Championships, two years ago behind Miho Takagi, two years before that behind Jutta Leerdam. Those two competitors did not participate in this World Cup.
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