Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam has won the silver medal in the women’s 1,000 metres at the Beijing Olympics, missing out on gold by half a second to Miho Takagi of Japan. Takagi set a new Olympic record of 1.13.19 to take her fourth medal of the games. The bronze medal went to world champion Brittany Bowe of the US. Leerdam, 23, won the European title in the distance in January and was considered one of the favourites for the race. Ireen Wüst, taking part in her fifth and final Olympics, was sixth.
The Netherlands is currently seventh in the medal table, with six gold, five silver and four bronze. There are still three more events where the Dutch skaters are in with a medal hope – the men’s 1,000 metres on Friday and the mass start events for both men and women on Saturday. On Thursday afternoon, figure skater Lindsay van Zundert is taking part in the free skate, after qualifying for the final.
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