Belgian speed skater Fran Vanhoutte has been granted an additional event to compete in at the 2026 Winter Olympics, allowing her to participate in both the 1,000 meters and the mass start.
According to Sporza, the Belgian team has received an extra quota spot for the women’s 1,000 meters, enabling two Belgian women to compete in that event. Isabelle van Elst had already secured her place, and now Fran Vanhoutte will join her, making her Winter Olympics debut on Monday, February 9, 2026, at 17:30 local time with the 1,000 meters race.
This change means Vanhoutte’s schedule will be more condensed than originally planned, as she was expected to compete for the first time on Saturday, February 21, in the mass start event. The mass start races include the semifinals at 15:50 and the final at 17:15, contingent upon qualifying performance. Vanhoutte will now have to quickly adapt between these two disciplines during the Games held in Milan.
