Dutch speed skater Femke Kok has made history by breaking the women's 500-meter world record at the ISU World Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is the first Dutch skater (male or female) to ever hold the official world record on this classic sprint distance.
A Record 12 Years in the Making
Kok stopped the clock at 36.09 seconds, shattering the previous record of 36.36 seconds set by South Korea's Lee Sang-hwa in 2013 at the same Utah Olympic Oval. That mark had stood for 12 years, making it the longest-lasting world record in Olympic speed skating events. Kok cut 0.27 seconds off the time: a huge margin at elite level where hundredths of a second separate champions.
Skating in the final pair against Olympic champion Erin Jackson of the United States, Kok opened aggressively and maintained top speed through the final lap. After crossing the line, she watched the scoreboard in disbelief as the new world record time appeared. "This is bizarre… I've dreamed about this for so long," she said afterwards. Kok revealed she had watched Lee's record-setting race hundreds of times over the years, visualizing herself achieving the same feat.
Photo Credits: Tony Schnagl/Pexels
Dominant Performance in Salt Lake City
The world-record race capped an already exceptional weekend for Kok. She had won the first 500m race earlier in the World Cup event with one of the fastest times ever skated by a Dutch woman, setting up expectations that she might challenge the long-standing record in her second attempt.
Jackson finished second with a time of 36.57 seconds, setting a new US national record in the process. South Korea's Lee Na-hyun claimed bronze in 37.03 seconds. Dutch teammate Jutta Leerdam also finished in the top five, underlining the growing strength of the Netherlands' sprint team.
Historic First for Dutch Speed Skating
The Netherlands has a storied history in speed skating with numerous world records in longer distances and all-around events, but never before had a Dutch skater held the official world record on the women's 500m sprint. With 36.09, Kok now tops both the world record list and the Dutch national record for the distance, marking a breakthrough for Dutch sprinting prowess in an event historically dominated by skaters from Asia and North America.
Born in Nij Beets in 2000, Kok has been one of the country's top sprint talents for years. She became junior world champion in 2019 and has since collected national and international titles, especially at 500m. This world record confirms her status as the leading short-distance sprinter of her generation.
What's Next for Kok and Dutch Skating
Kok's performance provides a major boost for the Dutch team at the start of the 2025-26 World Cup season, which serves as crucial preparation for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Her record demonstrates that Dutch skaters are not only dominant in traditional stamina distances but can now set the standard in pure sprint events as well.
Salt Lake City's high-altitude Utah Olympic Oval, famous for producing rapid times due to reduced air resistance, will continue to host World Cup events throughout the season, giving Kok and other skaters additional opportunities to push the boundaries. Fellow Dutch sprinter Jenning de Boo is also targeting records in upcoming competitions.
Despite her historic achievement, Kok believes there's still room for improvement. "I think there's still time to be gained," she noted, suggesting the record could go even lower. With the world record now in Dutch hands, attention will turn to whether Kok can defend it through the season and translate this exceptional form into Olympic gold in 2026.
For now, her 36.09-second performance in Salt Lake City stands as a landmark moment for both her career and Dutch speed skating history, inspiring the next generation of Dutch sprinters to chase new limits in international competition.
