The Netherlands aims to secure its 50th Olympic gold medal in long track speed skating at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games, continuing its dominance in the sport.
According to ISU Skating, the Netherlands currently leads with 48 Olympic golds in long track speed skating, followed by the United States with 30 and Norway with 28. The Dutch national team is uniquely represented by the maximum quota of nine male and nine female skaters, many of whom are vying for limited Olympic spots.
Speed skating is deeply ingrained in Dutch culture, epitomized by the Thialf ice stadium in Heerenveen, known for its passionate orange-clad supporters. Despite strong performances in World Cup events, some athletes, such as Joy Beune, have faced tough Olympic qualification battles but will still compete in other distances and the Team Pursuit event alongside teammates Femke Kok, Jutta Leerdam, and Marijke Groenewoud.
In recent years, Dutch men’s dominance has lessened with American skater Jordan Stolz emerging as a leading figure. Stolz, from Wisconsin, has won multiple World Cup trophies over the past two seasons and is targeting gold in several events, including the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, and Mass Start. The United States team, known as the USA Pain Train, also aims for success in the Team Pursuit, which it has won five consecutive World Cup titles.
Norway remains a historic power in the sport with contenders like Sander Eitrem and Ragne Wiklund, the latter having secured her fourth straight long-distance World Cup trophy. Norway looks poised to challenge for medals again in Milan.
Several other nations feature large delegations and strong competitors. China and Canada each bring 15 athletes, with China making significant progress in recent years, highlighted by Olympic champions such as Zhang Hong and Gao Tingyu. Japan, led by seasoned skater Miho Takagi, also fields a strong team with 14 competitors.
Italy, hosting the Games, hopes to contend for medals through veterans Francesca Lollobrigida, Andrea Giovannini, and Davide Ghiotto, who holds a world record in the long distances. Poland and Germany are emerging as potential medal contenders as well, with Poland’s Damian Zurek challenging top athletes and Germany’s 18-year-old Finn Sonnekalb striving to become his country’s first male Olympic medalist in speed skating since 2002.
In addition, South Korea and Belgium look to make their mark, especially in Mass Start events. South Korea’s Kim Min-Sun and Lee Nahyun aim to excel in sprint distances, while Chung Jae Won targets upgrading his previous silver medal. Belgium’s Bart Swings seeks to defend his Olympic title in the Mass Start discipline.
