Dutch women on the podium at 500 metres, Erin Jackson’s gold

Dutch skaters just missed the 500m medals at the Beijing Olympics. Jutta Leerdam was the best Dutch rider in the National Speed ​​Skating Oval with fifth place. The gold medal went to American favorite Erin Jackson. She was ahead of Japan’s Miho Takagi (37.12) and Angelina Golikova of Russia (37.21) with 37.04.



Erin Jackson


© ANP / HH
Erin Jackson

Leerdam had rode 37.34 in the seventh stage against China’s Jingzhou Jin. Cook came in two games later against Canadian Brooklyn McDougall to 37.40. She took sixth place. Michel de Jong came in thirteenth place with 37.97 points.

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Margot Boyer is the only Dutch skier to win a medal in the 500m at the Olympics. She won a bronze medal at the Sochi Games in 2014.

Jackson broke through this season with four wins in the 500m at the World Cup. The 29-year-old skater from Florida finished 24th at the 2018 Games, but is just getting started in figure skating. She was in danger of missing out on the Beijing Olympics when she finished third in the US qualifiers after she missed. The Americans had only two points to start the games. However, her compatriot Brittany Beau gave it a starting point for Jackson. Bowe was still able to start in the 500m due to the cancellations. She finished sixteen.



TeamNL's Gotta Leerdam at 500m


© ANP / HH
TeamNL’s Gotta Leerdam at 500m

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Jackson opened its doors faster than Takagi in her race against Poland’s Kaja Zyomic. She seemed to lose that lead after the second corner, but with a solid lead at the end in a row, she still fell 0.08s short of the Japanese’s time.

Takagi, the silver medalist in the 1500m at the Games behind Erin West, set a time on the fourth stage at 37.12 as several competitors bit themselves. Her full lap of 26.71 was the fastest in the field. Leerdam approached the seventh stage by 26.76 laps, but his opening was slower. Only Jackson was able to complete the same lap as Takagi, which allowed her to keep her fringes out of the gap.

Olympic champion Jackson is forever grateful to his girlfriend Bo

Jackson is forever grateful to her compatriot and friend Brittany Poe for giving her a starting spot in the 500m at the Beijing Olympics. The 29-year-old American finished third in January in the US qualifying after a serious mishap in her race. At the time, the US only had two starting points, so Boo decided to give her a ticket for the 500m. “You’ve already made huge sacrifices for me,” said the runner, who took the gold with the 37.04 flight.

Jackson was glad the US finally got a third springboard. Bowe was at the top of the reserve list and was allowed to start. “I was going to go to the games in third anyway,” Jackson admitted. “But it would have caused a lot of stress.”

Bo and Jackson have known each other for many years of figure skating. They hugged each other after the latter won the gold when it turned out that skaters Olga Vatkulina and Andzelika Wojic couldn’t match her time in the final. “She told me she was very proud of me,” Jackson said. “And I think I said thank you several times.”

Cook was disappointed in an Olympic 500m race full of failures

After a run full of failures, Kwok was deeply disappointed with her performance at the 500m Olympics in Beijing. “There was a lot for her today. I start very well with almost the quickest opener on the field, and then only missed the ride after I missed,” Friesen said of her Olympic debut. She finished sixth with 37.39 points.

In both corners, things did not go well for Cook, who, according to his words, almost fell in the last straight line. “I’ve been feeling really good all week and haven’t been shocked at all from the times I’ve had,” the runner said. “If I saw those times now, I think I could have commanded that easily.”

Mixed feelings in Leerdam after fifth place

Leerdam had mixed feelings about her Olympic appearance in the 500m in Beijing. The Dutch champion ranked fifth with a time of 37.34 seconds, slightly behind the third time for Russian Angelina Golikova (37.21). “Then I could have worked a little bit harder. I’m a bit frustrated now that I didn’t get the bronze,” Leerdam admitted. “But the level is very high here.”

Leerdam had previously said there were quite a few opportunities in the 500m. “That wasn’t a word. I felt that way too. I notice that I can use my strength here on the ice and if I succeed I’ll go quickly.” According to Leerdam, there’s a sound when you’re cruising hard over the ice. “A number of people say you can hear me when I’m driving fast.”

The Dutch Olympic 1000m medalist was still satisfied with her opening (10.5) and her full spin (26.7). “I crossed the finish line the fastest ever. Of course I look at that too, because that’s all about me in the 1000 metres. But I am also happy because I am really close to the 500 metres. I have speed and that bodes well for the 1000 metres.”

Japan’s Miho Takagi, one of Leerdam’s top 1000m competitors, stunned the silver medalist in the 500m. “She has great speed and can also keep up in the laps. 1000 is very specific. I think I should ride for her in the 1000m. I’m just doing my ride and she will just have to see if she can get past it.”

The Olympic women’s 1,000-meter race will be held in Beijing on Thursday.

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