In Heerenveen, Femke Kok became world champion in the 500 meters last year following a mediocre season. On Friday she repeated that feat in the Canadian ice temple in Calgary, now following a very nice season. With her fastest opening ever, followed by an excellent full lap, the result at the bottom was impressive: 36.83. A large improvement on the Dutch record that she set in Salt Lake City in 2021. And that at the most important moment of this season. “Peaks at the right time, exactly the goal,” Kok responded wittily when she had some time before the podium ceremony to catch up with the news regarding her performance.
In preparation, she watched the world record race of inspiration Sang-Hwa Lee once more. After all, the Korean – who is still at the top of the all-time rankings with 36.36 – also had the last inside bend, Kok said. “I get motivation from just seeing how it should be done. Her style is beautiful, I learn from her race and it is still an amazing world record.” Lee’s peak period now lasts more than ten years. Kok has the ambition to one day erase that time from the books, although she adds: “She was really very good.”
Well, Femke Kok is also very good. A year following her World Cup victory in Heerenveen – in her opinion more beautiful than Friday’s golden stage in Calgary – expectations were high. “There was quite a lot to deal with, but I remained the same Femke. Enough people came to me this week: ‘You’re going to win’. But then I thought: Oh, you’ll have to drive for it first.” With her new status as a top sprinter, Nij Beetse also had to learn to deal with that pressure. “I didn’t let myself be fooled, I have to be able to do this. And I showed that today.”
Of course there was tension and nerves were running through the Frisian’s throat. Kok might rely on expert Gerard van Velde, who reached his peak on this day in 2002 with the Olympic title in Salt Lake City. “He sat next to me to break the tension a bit, it can get crazy if I turn completely into myself,” she continued. “Gerard mentioned the date: ‘Femke, this is a special day,’ he said. It sounded like a joke, but for a reason. I said I would do my best so that it would remain a special day. He reassured me and I’m glad I might make it happen.”
Mission completed, flying home. Due to the fall in the 1000 meters during the National Distance Championships in December, Kok is not yet assured of a place at the World Sprint Championships. She was angry and disappointed regarding that for a long time, but she no longer worries regarding that following winning the world title for the shortest song. She will fly back to the Netherlands on Saturday, which will give her just enough time to deal with the jet lag before she has to perform once more in Heerenveen. “I have to participate to win that starting spot,” says Kok. Although she doesn’t want to think regarding that just yet: “I can enjoy this first.”
And that’s one for Jordan Stolz
The final event of the day was for the men with the 500 meters. As soon as he entered the race, all eyes in the stands turned to the young American and once on the track he once once more more than lived up to expectations. With 33.69, Jordan Stolz came within eight hundredths of world record holder Pavel Kulizhnikov, but improving that top time is a matter for later. More importantly, Stolz can take the first check of this weekend: gold in the 500 meters. He left Laurent Dubreuil behind him, the Pole Damian Zurek surprised with bronze.
The fastest Dutchman in Calgary: Stefan Westenbroek. | Photo: Soenar Chamid
Stefan Westenbroek was the fastest Dutchman in Calgary. Amid the stormy developments that youngsters like Jenning de Boo are making, Westenbroek (still only 21 years old) held up well. The Ommen native finished in sixth place in a time of 34.41, just above the personal record he recently set in Salt Lake City and almost three-quarters of a second behind Stolz. “Bizarre,” he told NOS. “I left something behind at the opening, I did not expect a medal. I had said beforehand that I would be happy with the top 10. Of course you would rather be first, but then I would be satisfied. Sixth place is absolutely good .”
Results of the World Distance Championships are here to find.
