Minutes after her race, Kok could hardly believe that she had just made history. “I have watched Sang-Hwa Lee’s ride hundreds of times and thought in amazement: how can she go so fast? Now I’m just faster. 36.0..” it sounded in disbelief in front of the camera NOS. “My dream has come true.”
How sharp Sang-Hwa Lee’s record was is evident from the fact that that time was in the history books for twelve years as the fastest time ever, while many world records have been tightened in recent years. Kok had long dreamed of becoming the fastest woman ever, but knew she had to take a special approach to improve.
But if anyone should be able to do it, it is Kok. She has been dominating the 500 meters for years and on Saturday she was suddenly very close. Then she approached the Asian’s time to within 0.12 seconds and improved her own national record to 36.48. She went way below that again on Sunday.
Impressive Femke Kok improves her own Dutch record at 500 meters in America
Joy Beune, Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong and Elisa Dul disappoint in team pursuit
Joy Beune, Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong and Elisa Dul took a disappointing fifth place in the team pursuit in Salt Lake City. Dul, the replacement for permanent employee Marijke Groenewoud, could not follow her compatriots and so the train broke up: 2.54.66.
Impressive Femke Kok improves her own Dutch record at 500 meters in America
Japan captured gold in 2:52.13, America raced to silver (2:52.40) and Germany completed the podium by finishing in 2:54.01.
Joy Beune, Antoinette Rijpma-De Jong and Elisa Dul. © Getty Images
National coach Rintje Ritsma would have preferred to field the trio, who had become world champions in the team event in March of this year and who, if nothing crazy happens, should also flourish at the Olympic Games.
Joy Beune wants to put something right in Salt Lake City after critical comments: ‘Let me answer on the ice’
However, he could not send his ideal trio onto the ice in Salt Lake City, because he did not have access to Marijke Groenewoud. Normally she rides the team pursuit, but the Frisian has decided together with her team not to ride the team pursuit during the first two World Cup races.
First defeat since January 2024
The Albert Heijn Zaanlander rider’s program is packed and she does not want to run the risk of becoming overtired at the start of this Olympic season. That is why Groenewoud’s teammate Dul was allowed to take part in the occasional trio.
That went well for a long time, but in the end she could not keep up with the pace of her compatriots and so the Netherlands suffered a rare defeat in the team section. The Dutch team had been supreme in the team pursuit for a long time. The Dutch women had not lost a team pursuit since January 2024.