Dutch men win first Olympic short track relay gold at the Winter Olympics in Milan

The Dutch men’s short track team captured gold in the relay Friday, marking their first Olympic medal in the event, NOS reported. Jens van ’t Wout, Melle van ’t Wout, Friso Emons and Teun Boer skated the final, with Itzhak de Laat as reserve, finishing first in 6 minutes, 51.86 seconds. “This was a magical race,” de Laat said after the win.

Previous attempts by the Netherlands in the men’s relay did not result in medals. At the 2014 Sochi Games, Freek van der Wart fell in the first turn.

In Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022, the Dutch squad did not reach the final. Four years ago, Van ’t Wout, Sjinkie Knegt, De Laat and Sven Roes were eliminated in the semi-finals, with De Laat caught in the closing laps and Knegt penalized for an overtaking attempt in the last turn.

For Jens van ’t Wout, the relay gold was his third of the Games, following victories in the 1,000 and 1,500 meters. He also took bronze in the 500 meters.

His brother Melle added individual silver. Dutch women’s skater Xandra Velzeboer won two gold medals in her events, though she and former Olympic champion Suzanne Schulting fell in the women’s 1,500 meters semi-finals, ending their medal chances.

“This gold is part of showing who we are and what a great sport this is,” said team coach Niels Kerstholt. “A team medal is part of that – and this one is gold. Finally, revenge for 2014.” Kerstholt was part of the relay squad that fell in the Olympic final in Sochi.

The win brings the Netherlands’ medal total at the Games to 18. At the Sochi 2014 Games, the Netherlands earned 24 medals, including eight golds, seven silvers and nine bronzes.

Short track competition concludes Saturday with the mass start races. Dutch skaters Jorrit Bergsma and Stijn van de Bunt will compete in the men’s semi-finals, and Marijke Groenewoud and Bente Kerkhoff will compete in the women’s event.