Dutch fans roar for speedskater Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong's Olympic gold in the 1,500

MILAN (AP) — The wall of sound coming from the large contingent of orange-clad Dutch fans just kept growing for speedskater Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong at the Milan Cortina Winter Games on Friday.

When she was introduced before her heat in the 1,500 meters. When the arena's video boards showed her ahead of the pace set by the previous leader. And, most ear-splittingly, when Rijpma-de Jong crossed the line and the number “1” appeared by her name to signify she’d moved into first place.

Soon, those roars from thousands of Rijpma-de Jong's closest friends returned, because the last two skaters failed to surpass her time of 1 minute, 54.9 seconds — making her first Olympic gold, and sixth career medal overall, a certainty.

“That’s the feeling that you love the most,” Rijpma-de Jong said. “That’s the feeling when you skate in (the Netherlands). … I am so happy that so many people came to cheer us to the finish line. It was so loud. And it feels so good.”

She was just 0.06 seconds faster than silver medalist Ragne Wiklund of Norway. Valerie Maltais of Canada took the bronze, 0.31 behind Rijpma-de Jong.

“It was really close,” the champion said, “but it was enough — and that’s what’s important.”

Wiklund skated in the 13th of 15 heats, one before Rijpma-de Jong. With a lap to go for the eventual winner, Wiklund said, she thought: “Maybe I do have a shot.”

But all she could do was watch as Rijpma-de Jong surpassed her time.

“She has been performing so, so well for so many years,” Wiklund said. "She knows what she’s doing."

Each medalist in the 1,500 will leave the Milano Speed Skating Stadium with multiple prizes. Rijpma-de Jong already had a silver from team pursuit; Wiklund had a silver in the 3,000 and bronze in the 5,000; Maltais had a gold in team pursuit and bronze in 3,000.

In all, 2023 1,500 world champion Rijpma-de Jong's Olympic haul now includes one gold, two silvers and three bronzes.

Missing from the field was Dutch star Joy Beune, who won all four 1,500 World Cup races she entered this season but surprisingly didn’t qualify for the distance at her country’s Olympic trials in December, sparking a debate over the way Netherlands selects its speedskating team for the Games.

But the Dutch women still got the gold at this distance, to go with wins by Femke Kok in the 500 and Jutta Leerdam in the 1,000.

American Brittany Bowe, who raced head-to-head against Rijpma-de Jong in the 14th of 15 heats, wound up fourth Friday — the same spot she was in the 1,000 meters and team pursuit in Milan.

Bowe, who turns 38 on Tuesday and had said beforehand this would be her final Olympics, has two Winter Games bronzes: from the 1,000 in 2022 and team pursuit in 2018.

Bowe got engaged during these Olympics to U.S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight, who scored as her team won a gold medal by beating Canada 2-1 in overtime on Thursday.

“Speedskating has shaped me into the person I am, so it's so sad,” Bowe said about retiring, “but it's also so great that I'm able to finish on my own terms because a lot of athletes don’t have that opportunity.”

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

Fourth placed Brittany Bowe of the U.S. and her coach Ryan Shimabukuro, rear, react after the women's 1500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Gold medallist Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong of the Netherlands, right, is congratulated by silver medallist Ragne Wiklund of Norway after the women's 1500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong of the Netherlands celebrates winning the gold medal with her coach Gerard van Velde, right, after the women's 1500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong of the Netherlands, center and gold medal, Ragne Wiklund of Norway, left and silver medal, and Valerie Maltais of Canada, right and bronze medal, celebrate on the podium of the women's 1500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Brittany Bowe of the U.S. competes in the women's 1500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Ragne Wiklund of Norway competes in the women's 5,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Valerie Maltais of Canada greets fans after competing in the women's 1500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Netherlands' Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong celebrates after winning the women's speedskating 1,500-meters final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong of the Netherlands celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 1500 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims from around the world congregated on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the second official day of the annual Islamic pilgrimage, considered the pinnacle of the Hajj.

Despite the sweltering heat, the pilgrims gathered on the rocky hill and surrounding plain for intense prayers and worship that often mark a spiritual peak for them. They fervently murmured prayers and poured their hearts out in supplications. Many raised their hands in worship. It is common for pilgrims on that day, some with tears streaming down their faces, to ask God for forgiveness, mercy, blessings and good health.

The Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is required once in a lifetime for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to perform it.

For pilgrims, the Hajj, performed over several days, can be a deeply moving spiritual experience and a chance to seek God’s forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. As they brave the intense heat to perform religious rituals, many pilgrims have been using umbrellas for shade.

A Saudi official said on Friday that more than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in the country from abroad.

This year, Muslims have been pouring into Saudi Arabia for the Hajj against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related uncertainty in the region.

The U.S. military said Monday that it carried out “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran, including on missile launch sites and boats used to lay mines, even as President Donald Trump said on social media that negotiations with Tehran were “proceeding nicely." Iran on Tuesday denounced the most recent U.S. strikes as a sign of “bad faith and unreliability” as negotiations pressed on toward a possible deal to end the war.

For many, performing the Hajj can be a realization of a lifelong dream as they spend years hoping and praying to one day be able to undertake the pilgrimage or saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the trip.

“This happens once in a lifetime,” Mohammad Asal, an Egyptian pilgrim, said. “People here have prepared their prayers, hoping that God will respond to them, because we know that ... the most important ritual of the Hajj is being in Arafat.”

The Hajj brings together large numbers of Muslims of diverse races, ethnicities, languages and socioeconomic classes, creating a sense of unity for many. It’s a mass, communal experience, with Muslims performing rituals together. But it is also deeply personal, as every pilgrim brings their own yearnings and experiences.

“It was incredible,” Ahmed Sufyan, a pilgrim from the United States, said on Tuesday. “The unity and peace that we feel is something I’ve never experienced before,” he added via WhatsApp.

“Our wishes are many,” Mohammad Obaid, a Sudanese pilgrim, said, adding he was praying for Sudan and Muslims everywhere.

Fam reported from Winter Park, Florida.

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.

A Muslim pilgrim pray atop of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Muslim pilgrims walk towards the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Muslim pilgrims are silhouetted as they pray at top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Muslim pilgrims pray at top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Muslim pilgrims read a copy of Islam's holy book Quran atop of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)