Dramatic crashes and golden triumphs define 2026 Olympic speed skating
The speed skating mass-start events at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics delivered dramatic finishes and historic moments. Swiss skater Livio Wenger saw his medal hopes vanish after a late crash in the semifinals, while 40-year-old Jorrit Bergsma stormed to gold in the men's final.
In the women's race, Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands claimed victory, with Switzerland's Kaitlyn McGregor securing a top-six finish for an Olympic diploma.
Livio Wenger entered the men's mass-start semifinal with a clear plan: skip intermediate sprints and rely on his Czech training partner, Metoděj Jílek, as a pacemaker. The strategy positioned him well for a top-three spot—until a fall three laps from the finish dropped him to 10th place, ending his Olympic run.
The men's final saw a dominant performance from Jorrit Bergsma. The 40-year-old Dutch skater led aggressively from the front, holding off Denmark's Viktor Hald Thorup for silver and Italy's Andrea Giovannini for bronze. Thorup's medal marked Denmark's second-ever Winter Olympics podium in speed skating.
In the women's event, Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands took gold, followed by Canada's Ivanie Blondin and the U.S. skater Mia Manganello. Switzerland's Kaitlyn McGregor finished sixth, earning an Olympic diploma, while teammate Ramona Härdi placed 11th.
Wenger's Olympic record includes a fourth-place finish in 2018 and seventh in 2022. This time, his focus on a podium spot ended abruptly with his crash in the semifinal.
Bergsma's gold at 40 makes him the oldest Olympic champion in speed skating's mass-start event. Groenewoud's victory continues Dutch dominance in the discipline, while Wenger's early exit leaves him without a medal for the third straight Games. The results set the stage for future competitions in the 2026 cycle.
