Dutch speedskaters win 2 short track Olympics golds. Xandra Velzeboer also broke a world record

MILAN (AP) — Two days after leaving the ice in tears because her Dutch relay team failed to medal, Xandra Velzeboer won the women's 500 meters gold medal in short track speedskating at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Thursday night — and also broke her own world record in the semifinals.

“This is the best day of my life. It’s amazing,” Velzeboer said. “It’s been my goal for the last four years. Maybe for my entire life.”

Velzeboer finished first in the final in 41.609 seconds, ending Italian silver medalist Arianna Fontana's attempt to become the first woman to win three consecutive individual Winter Games short track golds at any distance. Fontana was more than a half-second behind — an eternity in a 500 — with a time of 42.294.

“Xandra, today, was on fire,” Fontana said. “I’m a little bit sad that I couldn’t stay with her.”

That dominant display came after Velzeboer clocked an Olympic-record 41.853 in the quarterfinals at the start of the evening, then established the new world mark of 41.399 in the semifinals. She had set the old standard for the distance of 41.416 in 2022.

Even if there was disappointment Tuesday for the relay result — Fontana helped Italy take the gold — Velzeboer said she felt as if she had skated well enough to gain some confidence for the 500.

“She puts a lot of pressure on herself, but she continues to perform with that pressure. That’s what makes someone special — being be able to perform with the pressure,” Canadian bronze medalist Courtney Sarault said about Velzeboer. “And I'm sure in the Netherlands, there’s a lot more pressure for short track speedskating than there is in Canada. And she keeps doing it.”

The considerable contingent of orange-clad Dutch fans had more reason to cheer a little later, when Jens van ’t Wout won the men's 1,000 with a terrific final surge and a close-as-can-be finish.

There were roars when he overtook Canada's William Dandjinou with about a lap to go for the lead, and those voices just kept rising, right until van ’t Wout spread his arms wide and threw his head back after recording a time of 1 minute, 24.537 seconds.

He skated around the ice, basking in it all, then headed to the center of the track with a flag as a cape and took a bow.

“For me, it was the best race that I’ve ever done,” van ’t Wout said. “It's amazing to be able to skate in Italy for so (many) Dutch people. To hear the whole crowd go crazy was beautiful. So beautiful.”

Sun Long of China was next in 1:24.565, followed by bronze medalist Jongun Rim of South Korea.

Velzeboer, 24, added this gold to the one she received as a member of the Dutch champions in the 3,000-meter relay at the 2022 Beijing Games. She's also a three-time world champion in the 500.

Fontana's silver was the 13th medal of her Olympic career, extending her record for short track. She got No. 12 overall — and her third gold — when Italy won the women's 3,000-meter relay on Tuesday.

“She’s Miss February,” Sarault said.

The 35-year-old Fontana, who trains in Salt Lake City, Montreal and Quebec City, is participating in her sixth Olympics. She made her debut at age 15 with a relay bronze at the 2006 Turin Games.

She said she keeps all of her medals in a bag under the desk in her parents' home.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Jens van 't Wout of the Netherlands wins gold during the short track speed skating men's 1000m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

From left to right, silver medalist Arianna Fontana of Italy, gold medalist Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands and bronze medalist Courtney Sarault of Canada jump on the podium to receive their medals after the short track speed skating women's 500m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands wins gold during the short track speed skating women's 500m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Jens van 't Wout of the Netherlands wins gold during the short track speed skating men's 1000m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands wins gold during the short track speed skating women's 500m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Jens van 't Wout of the Netherlands wins gold during the short track speed skating men's 1000m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands wins gold during the short track speed skating women's 500m at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The men tasked with carrying out President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda were made to watch a video of the shooting death of Alex Pretti in a slow, moment-by-moment analysis on Thursday by Sen. Rand Paul, who repeatedly cast doubt on the tactics used by federal officers and warned that the American public had lost trust in the country's immigration agencies.

It was a tense confrontation at a Senate hearing that was called to scrutinize the immigration chiefs as they carry out one of Trump's signature policy and after the deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis over recent weeks at the hands of federal officers.

Paul, who paused the video every few seconds to explain his interpretation of the events, argued that Pretti posed no threat to the officers and questioned why the situation culminated in the ICU nurse's death.

“He is retreating at every moment,” said Paul, speaking of Pretti's behavior while officers pepper-sprayed him. “He’s trying to get away and he’s being sprayed in the face.”

The hearing's witnesses included Todd Lyons, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Rodney Scott, who heads Customs and Border Protection, and Joseph Edlow, who runs U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The same officials appeared in front of a House committee earlier this week.

Paul's comments were a strong rebuke of the conduct by CBP officers who ultimately shot and killed Pretti on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis.

“It’s clearly evident that the public trust has been lost. To restore trust in ICE and Border Patrol they must admit their mistakes, be honest and forthright with their rules of engagement and pledge to reform,” Paul said in his opening statements.

But Paul, who's often shown a willingness to buck party line, was the lone Republican voice questioning the immigration officers' conduct with others steering clear of any criticism. Democrats also weighed in with sharp condemnation of the shooting and, more broadly, on how officers from those agencies are using force when carrying out their responsibilities.

Scott disputed that Pretti wasn't a threat.

“What I’m seeing is a subject that’s also not complying. He’s not following any guidance. He’s fighting back nonstop,” said Scott.

Lyons disputed claims that his officers are not held accountable. He said in the year since Trump took office, ICE has opened 37 investigations for excessive force; 18 were closed, 19 are still pending and one was been referred for “further action,” he said.

The shooting death of Pretti, along with another American citizen, Renee Good, who were protesting immigration enforcement in Minnesota, sparked outrage and prompted changes to the Minnesota operation. On Thursday, Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, announced that he was winding down the operation, which at one point included 3,000 ICE and CBP officers.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal pushed Lyons to explain a memo he wrote justifying the use of administration warrants — documents signed by an ICE officer and not an independent judge — to forcibly enter a home to make an arrest.

The Associated Press reported last month that ICE was asserting sweeping power through the use of administrative warrants in its enforcement operations.

Administrative warrants historically have not been sufficient to overcome Fourth Amendment protections that guard against illegal searches.

Lyons defended the practice, arguing that there is case law in Minnesota that allows officers to enter a home to catch a fugitive using only an administrative warrant.

Blumenthal, who compared the ICE's administrative warrants to a permission slip, said they aren’t enough to overcome constitutional protections.

Other Republicans directed their toughest questioning toward an earlier panel of Minnesota officials. When questioning Lyons and Scott, they focused not on the officers' tactics but on the threats they said ICE and CBP officers faced in carrying out their jobs.

Sen. Ron Johnson, from Wisconsin, asked Lyons to talk about the “violence, the threats, the doxing against ICE officers.”

“That’s where I’ve got a great deal of sympathy for people trying to enforce law,” he said.

From left, Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Rodney Scott, commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Todd Lyons, senior official performing the duties of the director at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are sworn in before a Senate Homeland Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via AP)

Todd Lyons, senior official performing the duties of the director at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, speaks during a Senate Homeland Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner)

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., speaks during a Senate Homeland Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner)

From left, Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Rodney Scott, commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Todd Lyons, senior official performing the duties of the director at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, listen during a Senate Homeland Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner)