Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Dutch skater Femke Kok set an Olympic record in the women's 500 meters on Sunday and won the Netherlands' first gold medal in the distance in the process.
The 25-year-old skated a blistering 36.49 seconds at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium to claim the gold medal, her second medal of these Games after taking silver in the 1,000-meter.
"This really is a relief. I'm so proud I made it happen," Kok, the three-time reigning world champion in the 500-meter, told reporters. "This is what I dreamed about as a little girl, and that it happens today is so special."
Kok's Netherlands teammate Jutta Leerdam won silver in the 500-meter with a time of 37.15 seconds and Miho Takagi of Japan claimed bronze with a time of 37.27 seconds.
U.S.'s Erin Jackson, who won gold in Beijing, finished fifth with a time of 37.32 seconds.
Leerdam took gold in the women's 1,000-meter speed skating event on Feb. 9. Takagi won a bronze in the event. The 31-year-old is Japan's most decorated female Olympian, having won seven Olympic medals before the Italy Games. With two bronzes in Italy, she now has nine.
