The Dutch have been a speed skating powerhouse for years. But they’ve raised their game at Sochi.
A sweep of the men’s 10,000 meters on Tuesday (its fourth sweep in Sochi) gave the Netherlands its 20th medal of these Olympics -- and 19th in speed skating. If it sounds like a ridiculous amount, well, that’s because it is.The Netherlands has won as many medals in speed skating as any other country has won overall
— Alex Goldberger (@alexgoldberger) February 18, 2014
That stat didn’t make it through all of Day 11 thanks to a U.S. gold medal by David Wise in freestyle skiing halfpipe, but the overall point remains. The Dutch are crushing it on the ice. (That 20th medal is in short track, so one could say they still have as many medals on ice skates as any other country has won overall.)And they’re not done yet.
With 3 speed skating events left, NED has 19 of 27 medals, shattering single OLY rec for speed skating medals (13 in 1988 by East Germany)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 18, 2014
Those remaining three events -- the women’s 5,000 meters and the team pursuit relays for women and men -- give the Dutch a great chance for at least two more medals. Until the now, the most dominant any country had been in one event at a single Games was Austria skiing in 2006.
As you’d expect, this kind of dominance has others just shaking their heads, and occasionally sick to their stomach. Though, Sven Kramer might feeling the same way.