Merel Conijn secured a silver medal in the Olympic 5,000 meter speed skating event in Milan, finishing just behind Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida after a highly competitive final race.
According to NOS Schaatsen, the 24-year-old Dutch athlete completed the race with a time of 6:46.28. Francesca Lollobrigida, who had previously won gold in the 3,000 meter event, narrowly outpaced Conijn by 0.10 seconds in a dramatic closing lap, setting a personal best that was five seconds faster than her previous record. Norway’s Ragne Wiklund earned bronze, finishing just 0.07 seconds behind Conijn.
Conijn’s performance marked her first Olympic medal and the Netherlands’ fourth at these Winter Games in Italy. Earlier in the competition, she faced strong opposition from Belgium’s Sandrine Tas, who she surpassed with a decisive acceleration in the final lap to claim second place in their pairing. The 5,000 meter event was noted for its exceptional closeness, with the top three athletes finishing within two-tenths of a second and the fourth-place finisher only 0.30 seconds behind the leader.
Another Dutch competitor, Marijke Groenewoud, finished seventh with a time of 6:58.33. Groenewoud had been called in as a last-minute replacement due to an injury to teammate Bente Kerkhoff. Prior to the event, favorites for the gold included Wiklund, Lollobrigida, and Canadian Isabelle Weidemann. While Wiklund had won the only 5,000 meter race of the World Cup season, she was not able to surpass Lollobrigida or Conijn in this Olympic competition.
The event also featured the final Olympic race of Martina Sáblíková, the 38-year-old Czech athlete and three-time Olympic champion, who competed despite recovering from illness. She finished in eleventh place but was honored with a lap of recognition on the ice. For Conijn, the Winter Games concluded following this race and her ninth-place finish in the 3,000 meter event, while Groenewoud will continue to compete in upcoming events including the 1,500 meter, mass start, and team pursuit.
