Olympics
Speed Skater Ireen Wust Becomes First Athlete to Win Gold at Five Olympics
by privatebet.com - 2022/02/08
Ireen Wust has been setting new grounds in the world of speed skating since the beginning of her career, and her latest milestone is the most significant one yet. The Dutch athlete claimed her sixth Olympic gold medal in Beijing, becoming the first athlete to win an individual gold medal at five different editions of the Winter Games. Wust set this major record after managing to retain her title in the women's 1500 meters speed skating competition. She also set the Olympic record of one minute 53.28 seconds in this discipline, beating Japan's Miho Takagi and the Netherlands’ Antoinette de Jong in second and third place, respectively. Wust’s latest record comes at the perfect time for the 35-year-old speed skater, who’s planning to retire next month after the Winter Olympics wraps up in Beijing. "I'm really enjoying the journey and really enjoying my last year. Knowing that it's the last one means I'm enjoying it even more. It was a decision I made before this year, and I'm happy about it. I'm happy that I can quit on my highest level," she explained. Wust won her very first gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, and her collection now includes 12 medals – six golds, five silvers, and one bronze.