Jens van ‘t Wout Claims Second Olympic Gold in Short Track Speedskating
MILAN – Jens van ‘t Wout of the Netherlands added to his impressive Olympic medal count on Saturday, February 14, 2026, securing the gold medal in the 1,500-meter short track speedskating event at the Milan Cortina Games. This victory comes after his earlier gold in the 1,000 meters this week, solidifying his position as a dominant force in the sport.
Van ‘t Wout finished the race in 2 minutes, 12.219 seconds, raising his arms in celebration as he crossed the finish line and immediately embraced his Dutch teammates at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. South Korea’s Daeheon Hwang took silver with a time of 2:12.304, although Latvia’s Roberts Kruzbergs claimed the bronze medal.
The results were initially held under review for a penalty assessment, but the podium order remained unchanged. Canadian short track star William Dandjinou finished fifth.
The 24-year-old van ‘t Wout similarly has a gold medal in the 5000m relay and a gold in the 1000m from the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, according to his Wikipedia page. He previously won a bronze medal at an unspecified event.
Meanwhile, Melle van ‘t Wout, also of the Netherlands, faced a setback at the World Championships, being disqualified from the 500-meter event. NU reports that he was cleared for participation but ultimately missed the main tournament.
The World Championships are currently underway, with Xandra Velzeboer and Jens van ‘t Wout both considered favorites on the first final day, as reported by AD.nl. Fans can follow the action live, including the 1,500-meter event, according to NOS.
Van ‘t Wout’s performance at the Olympics and World Championships underscores the Netherlands’ strength in short track speedskating, and his continued success is expected to inspire a new generation of athletes in the country.
