Jorrit Bergsma has become by far the oldest long track speedskating gold medalist in Olympic history by winning the mass start at age 40 at the Milan Cortina Games. Bergsma's victory Saturday in his sport's last event in Milan is his second gold, 12 years after the first.
The Afternoon WireICE's purchases for big detention centers are marked by secrecy, frustrating townsJustice Department swiftly fires lawyer chosen as top federal prosecutor for Virginia officeAt halfpipe, neither US-born Olympic favorite competes for America.
Eileen Gu takes the heatThe Supreme Court struck down Trump's tariffs. Now comes the hard work of issuing refundsNASA targets March for first moon mission by Artemis astronauts after fueling test successViral '6-7' tops 2025 list of overused words and phrasesFreezing reptile dubbed 'Lizard in a blizzard' is rescued after being buried in Rhode Island snowHow the rich pass on their wealth. And how you can tooGrowing number of Americans report experiencing extreme cold, AP-NORC poll findsNearly 3.4 million pounds of recalled Trader Joe's chicken fried rice products may contain glassSocial media companies face legal reckoning over mental health harms to children'Love Story' is revealing just how much Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's style has enduredUn agente migratorio de EEUU baleó de muerte a un hombre de Texas en 2025, según registrosChatGPT-maker OpenAI considered alerting Canadian police about school shooting suspect months agoAll truckers and bus drivers will be required to take commercial driver's license tests in EnglishSpeaker denies request for Rev. Jesse Jackson to lie in honor at Capitol, citing precedentPoland's Kamila Sellier stretchered off after opponent's blade slices above her eye in Olympic 1500Former 'Jersey Shore' star Snooki says she has cervical cancerThe Supreme Court struck down Trump's tariffs. Now comes the hard work of issuing refundsNASA targets March for first moon mission by Artemis astronauts after fueling test successViral '6-7' tops 2025 list of overused words and phrasesFreezing reptile dubbed 'Lizard in a blizzard' is rescued after being buried in Rhode Island snowHow the rich pass on their wealth. And how you can tooGrowing number of Americans report experiencing extreme cold, AP-NORC poll findsNearly 3.4 million pounds of recalled Trader Joe's chicken fried rice products may contain glassSocial media companies face legal reckoning over mental health harms to children'Love Story' is revealing just how much Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's style has enduredUn agente migratorio de EEUU baleó de muerte a un hombre de Texas en 2025, según registrosSportsJorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands celebrates winning the bronze medal in the men’s 10,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Gold medallist Metodej Jilek of Czechia, center, celebrates on the podium with Vladimir Semirunniy of Poland, left and silver medal, and Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands, right and bronze medal, after the men’s 10,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Dutch coach Jillert Anema wears a mullet honouring the bronze medal of Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands after the men’s 10,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Gold medallist Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands celebrates winning the men’s mass start final speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands celebrates winning the bronze medal in the men’s 10,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands celebrates winning the bronze medal in the men’s 10,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Gold medallist Metodej Jilek of Czechia, center, celebrates on the podium with Vladimir Semirunniy of Poland, left and silver medal, and Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands, right and bronze medal, after the men’s 10,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Gold medallist Metodej Jilek of Czechia, center, celebrates on the podium with Vladimir Semirunniy of Poland, left and silver medal, and Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands, right and bronze medal, after the men’s 10,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Dutch coach Jillert Anema wears a mullet honouring the bronze medal of Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands after the men’s 10,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Dutch coach Jillert Anema wears a mullet honouring the bronze medal of Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands after the men’s 10,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Gold medallist Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands celebrates winning the men’s mass start final speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Gold medallist Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands celebrates winning the men’s mass start final speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. . He blew kisses to the loud Dutch fans shouting in their orange outfits and wearing their mullet wigs to match his hairstyle. He even applauded right back at them. Bergsma was so far ahead of everyone else Saturday that he was able to really enjoy and celebrate becoming, at 40, by far the oldest long track “Unbelievable. Unbelievable,” Bergsma said later, his medal hanging from his neck. “I’m a 40-year-old guy. ... It is crazy. This one was really unexpected.” The oldest previous Olympic champion in long track was Ireen Wust, who was 35 when she won the 1,500 meters for Netherlands at the 2022 Beijing Games. The record for oldest man had stood for nearly a century: It belonged to Clas Thunberg, who was 34 when he won the 1,500 for Finland at the 1928 St. Moritz Olympics., the 21-year-old American who is about half of Bergsma’s age and finished fourth Saturday after collecting two golds and a silver earlier in Milan. “He’s super nice, super relaxed.”Stolz was surprised none of the other racers back in the main pack during the 16-lap race wanted to try to chase down Bergsma, who took a big early lead with eventual silver medalist Viktor Hald Thorup of Denmark.After that duo had pulled away, Bergsma easily skated away from Thorup. “I knew ... this final is going to be a tough one. It’s going to be a tough cookie. Nobody wanted to do the first move, so I did it,” said Bergsma, this season’s World Cup champion in the mass start. “I didn’t expect it. Nobody responded. Nobody wanted to close the gap for each other. I’m still mind blown that I won the gold medal here today.” This title comes a dozen years after he won the gold in the 10,000 meters and a bronze in the 5,000 at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. His career haul also includes a silver in the 10,000 in 2018, and a bronze at that distance this time.Mia Manganello, the 36-year-old American who took bronze in the women’s mass start behind Marijke Goenewoud of the Netherlands, joked after what she had said would be the final race of her career that she didn’t want anyone to mention to her coach that Bergsma just showed what can be done at 40. “So well-deserved. He’s a great racer, a great competitor,” Manganello said. “It shows this sport has a lot of maturity and the longevity of it.”
2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Games Olympic Games General News 2026 Winter Olympics Bob Corby Marijke Goenewoud Viktor Hald Thorup Sports Skating Speed Skating World News Mia Manganello World News
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Winter Olympics TV schedule: Saturday's listingsSaturday's TV and streaming scheduled for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.
Read more »
Macklin Celebrini, Canada will play for Olympic gold after scoring last-minute goalMacklin Celebrini entered Friday’s Olympic semifinals as the leading goalscorer at the Milan Cortina Games
Read more »
Goepper's Olympic Dream Crumbles in Milan HalfpipeAmerican skier Nick Goepper's gold medal bid in the men's halfpipe freestyle skiing competition ended in a crash on his final run. Despite the fall, he walked away under his own power, but ultimately missed the podium as Canada's Brendan MacKay took bronze. Teammate Alex Ferreira won gold. Goepper has three prior Olympic medals but no gold.
Read more »
Olympic Speed Skater Shares Update, Hospital Pic After Face Cut by BladePolish speed skater Kamila Sellier says she is 'doing OK; after a skate blade cut her face during the 1500m race at the 2026 Olympics
Read more »
U.S. speed skater Jordan Stolz finishes 4th in shocking men's mass start finalsThe Netherlands’ Jorrit Bergsma dominated the final in the speed skating men’s mass start to easily win the gold medal.
Read more »
Olympic photo highlights from Day 15 of the Milan Cortina Winter Games___
Read more »