Femke Kok beats Jutta Leerdam in speedskating's 500 and adds an Olympic title to her world record

MILAN (AP) — Everyone expected Femke Kok to win the 500-meter speedskating gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Even her Dutch teammate, Jutta Leerdam, the woman who beat Kok in the 1,000. Even the defending champion, Erin Jackson.

And, well, Kok did, too. Embracing those expectations rather than fighting them, Kok extended her two-year-plus unbeaten streak at her sport's shortest distance Sunday, adding a gold medal and the Olympic record to her world mark, beating Jackson head-to-head in the final heat and relegating Leerdam to the silver.

“I really wanted to prove to everyone that I could do it,” said Kok, who reversed the result from the 1,000 meters on Monday, when she got the silver. “I knew for myself the only thing that mattered was gold.”

Kok powered through the final turn of the 500 and easily pulled away from Jackson, finishing in 36.49 seconds — a whopping 0.66 seconds ahead of teammate Leerdam.

“We’re a really small country,” Kok said about the Netherlands and its population of under 20 million, “but we can do speedskating.”

Miho Takagi of Japan was third in 37.27, picking up her second bronze of these Winter Games and ninth career Olympic medal. Her totals: two golds, four silvers and three bronzes.

Jackson was fifth in 37.32, four years after her 500 triumph for the United States made her the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Olympics in any sport.

“Femke has been the person to chase for the past few years. She’s just been amazing,” Jackson said. “If I have the perfect race, I could probably give her a run for her money.”

But Jackson didn't have a perfect race: Sure, her start was terrific, but she stumbled a bit at one point, losing crucial time.

“I was coming closer and closer and closer,” Kok said, “and then I knew, ‘OK, I’m going fast.’”

As she usually does in the 500, an event she last lost in February 2024. When Kok crossed the line Sunday, she threw her arms overhead to the delight of the many, many Dutch spectators, then skated a little more before covering her face with both hands.

That was quite a contrast to Leerdam’s reaction after she temporarily took the lead in the 12th of 15 heats.

She got off to something of a slugging start and was behind Takagi’s pace after 100 meters. While Leerdam did manage to better that time, she let out a big exhale afterward and didn’t look particularly pleased.

“She deserves it, for sure. She’s super good in the 500,” Leerdam said about Kok. “Silver in the 500 is such a win for me. I already felt complete after the win in the 1,000 — and now I have this one.”

Kok prevented Leerdam from becoming just the third female speedskater to win the 500 and 1,000 at the same Olympics.

“We pushed each other the last couple of years to a higher level,” Kok said. “She's doing her own thing; I'm doing my own thing. We have a lot of respect for each other. She’s doing it her way; I’m doing it my way.”

Also Sunday, Italy beat the U.S. head-to-head by nearly a second in the men’s team pursuit quarterfinals but both advanced because they turned in the two fastest overall times. The Italian trio of Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini and Michele Malfatti finished in 3 minutes, 38.40 seconds, and the U.S. squad of Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson and Emery Lehman clocked 3:39.37.

In Tuesday’s semifinals, Italy will meet the Netherlands, and the Americans — who left the Beijing Games with the bronze and set the event’s world record in November — go up against China. The final also will be contested that day.

Two-time defending Olympic champion Norway finished with only the sixth-best time of the eight quarterfinalists Sunday and was eliminated.

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

Snoop Dog watches the women's 500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Jake Paul of the U.S. screams as his fiancée Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands celebrates with her silver medal on the podium of the women's 500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Fifth placed Erin Jackson of the U.S. catches her breath after competing in the women's 500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Femke Kok of the Netherlands, center and gold medal celebrates with Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands, left and silver medal, and Miho Takagi of Japan, right and bronze medal, on the podium of the women's 500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Miho Takagi of Japan celebrates winning the bronze medal in the women's 500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Femke Kok of the Netherlands celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Gold medallist Femke Kok of the Netherlands competes against Erin Jackson of the U.S., rear, in the women's 500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Femke Kok of the Netherlands celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Femke Kok of the Netherlands, left, celebrates winning a gold medal with silver medallist Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands, right, in the women's 500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Thousands of Catholic devotees commemorated Good Friday across Latin America with processions and ceremonies re-enacting the crucifixion of Jesus.

In Antigua, a colonial-era city in southern Guatemala, dozens dressed in purple and white robes and made their way under the early morning sun, many of them penitents known as “cucuruchos.” Others carried centuries-old images of Jesus through cobblestone streets.

The city hosts more than a dozen processions throughout Holy Week, set against a backdrop of volcanoes.

Marcos Bautista, 63, said he has attended the Good Friday observances since his father brought him along as a baby in his arms.

“To describe Holy Week in Antigua, there are no words that can capture what it feels like," Bautista said. “It’s a feeling that, just by speaking about what Jesus has done in our lives, moves me deeply.”

In Bolivia, President Rodrigo Paz traveled to the southern city of Tarija to participate in Good Friday ceremonies.

The country is a secular state under its constitution and its leaders refrained from engaging in any religious events between 2006 and 2025. But Paz — who took office last November — broke with precedent by attending Palm Sunday Mass carrying a palm frond.

In the capital city of La Paz, government authorities and military bands accompanied Good Friday processions, in which hooded penitents carried the Holy Sepulcher through the streets.

Bolivia remains a predominantly Catholic country, alongside strong Indigenous spiritual traditions. In some households, it is customary to eat only fish on Good Friday and prepare up to 12 dishes representing the apostles of Jesus, a tradition that has declined in recent years amid an economic crisis.

In Ecuador, where about 80% of the population identifies as Catholic, processions were held across major cities.

In Guayaquil, roughly half a million faithful attended the “Cristo del Consuelo” procession. Amid displays of devotion, some participants walked barefoot, while others wore thorn crowns or dragged crosses.

In the capital, Quito, the “Jesús del Gran Poder” procession drew more than 150,000 faithful, who filled the historic center’s streets with chants and prayers as they accompanied an image of Jesus carrying the cross.

Thousands more climbed the Monserrate Hill in neighboring Colombia. At more than 10,200 feet (3,100 meters) above sea level, they reached the summit in the capital city of Bogotá to attend Mass at the basilica. Similar observances, including reenactments of the Stations of the Cross, were held in other parts of the country, including Medellín.

While the share of Catholics in Latin America has declined over the past decade, the faith remains the region’s largest religion.

In several countries, including Mexico, Peru and Argentina, more than 60% of adults still identify as Catholic, according to 2024 surveys by the Pew Research Center and Latinobarómetro.

AP journalists Moisés Castillo in Antigua, Guatemala; Carlos Valdez in La Paz, Bolivia; Gonzalo Solano and Gabriela Molina, in Quito, Ecuador, contributed to this report.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Penitents from the Nazareno brotherhood carry a statue of Jesus down the steps of the Cathedral Basilica of St. James the Apostle for a Good Friday procession during Holy Week in Tunja, Colombia, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

A hooded penitent from the Nazareno brotherhood waits for the Good Friday procession inside the Cathedral Basilica of St. James the Apostle during Holy Week in Tunja, Colombia, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

Young women and girls carry jeweled hearts representing the Virgin Mary at a Good Friday procession during Holy Week in La Paz, Bolivia, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

Hooded penitents participate in a Good Friday procession during Holy Week in La Paz, Bolivia, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

A statue of Jesus Christ with a cross makes its way past electric cables at La Merced church's Good Friday procession during Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Women carry children dressed as penitents knows as "cucuruchos" on the sidelines of La Merced church's Good Friday procession during Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Penitents carry statues of Jesus Christ representing the Stations of the Cross at a Good Friday procession by La Merced church during Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala, just before sunrise Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Musicians dressed as Roman soldiers take part in La Merced church's Good Friday procession during Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)