Every four years, in a different, beautiful city each time, the world joins together to celebrate our favorite Winter-sports athletes. The Winter Olympics is a time for competition, recognition, and breaking records time and time again. Not only are we able to watch the world’s top winter athletes compete on one of the highest stages, but we see individuals achieving dreams.
When we read a headline regarding a record being broken at the Olympics, it typically refers to a previously set ‘Olympic Record.’ World records are rare to be broken at the Olympics in most competitions, as pressure is applied heavier to winning medals rather than focusing on times and speed. The level of intensity at the Olympics is much higher than other competitions, and tracks or venues differ from standard settings. However, breaking an Olympic record is just as honorable–and world records can still be broken when a gold medal is at stake.
The Netherlands have been the team to watch throughout this year’s Olympic games, especially individuals from their short-track speed skating and speed skating teams. In the women’s 500 meters short-track speed skating semifinals, Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands broke both the previously set Olympic record and world record for the race. Her time of 41.399 seconds set a new world and Olympic record, which had previously been 41.416 seconds in 2022–a record held by Velzeboer herself. She went on to take the gold medal home in the finals of women’s short-track speed skating.
Two more women from the Netherlands Olympic team have set records in the speed-skating competition. Jutta Leerdam set a new Olympic record in the women’s 1000 meters speed-skating race with a time of 1:12:31, the previous record being 1:13:19 set in 2022. Femke Kok set a new Olympic record in the women’s 500 meters speed-skating (not short track) race with a time of 36.49 seconds, the previous being held at 36.94 seconds set in 2018. Dutch women have been dominating the world of speed-skating this year, taking home both medals and records.
Not only have we seen broken records regarding speed and time, but individuals across the globe are having extraordinary career records and hitting milestones. At this year’s games, a new ‘Most Successful Winter Olympian of All Time’ has been named–Johannes H∅sflot Klæbo of Norway. He received the honor after winning the tenth gold medal of his career in the men’s cross-country skiing team sprint, five of which have been won at the 2026 Olympics alone. Arianna Fontana of Italy has been named the most decorated Italian Olympian in history with fourteen career medals being won in her competition of short-track speed-skating. Furthermore for Italy, they have set a new national record for the most medals at a single Winter Olympics, winning 22 medals and eight gold in 2026. This record has not been broken since 1994.
To bring it closer to home for Americans, our country has seen quite success in the Winter Olympics games as well. The USA Women’s Hockey team set the Olympic record for most consecutive shutouts, having five at the 2026 games. Goalie Aerin Frankel also set a new Olympic record for most shutout wins in a single Olympics, having three at the 2026 games as well. For men’s speed-skating, USA’s Jordan Stolz has set two records in the competitions of men’s 1000 meters and 500 meters speed-skating. His time of 1:06:28 in the 1000 meters broke the previous Olympic record of 1:07:18. In the 500 meters race, his time of 33.77 seconds ended the previously set Olympic record of 34.36 seconds.
Whether you are a die-hard Winter Olympics fan or if you have no clue as to what is happening, this is a time for global celebration of athletics and culture. Celebrating individuals at the top of their competition, breaking records, and completing their goals, is what we all needed right now.
