Milano Cortina 2026: Speed Skater Takagi Finishes 6th in the 1,500, in Which She Has World Record

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:00 JST, February 21, 2026

MILAN — Speed skater Miho Takagi finished sixth in the women’s 1,500 meters at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Friday, missing out on a gold medal in the event where she holds the world record.

Takagi clocked 1:54.865 in the race, while Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong of the Netherlands won gold with 1:54.09.

Japanese competitor Ayano Sato finished 22nd with a time of 1:58.36, while Momoka Horikawa placed 26th with 1:59.33.

As Takagi was greeted by her long-time coach Johan de Wit after the race, she was unable to hold back her emotions.

In the first half of the race, she picked up speed and was on pace to vie for gold. But in the final lap, her movement noticeably slowed, resulting in a significant drop in finishing position.

“That was the only part I couldn’t quite nail,” Takagi said about the final lap, which had been a focus in her training toward the Olympics.

After earning four medals in the 2022 Beijing Games, she felt she had “done everything possible” and thought about retirement. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she was reminded that “what’s left is the Olympics.” She had not yet won an Olympic gold medal in the 1,500 meters.

Takagi has achieved remarkable victories without saying much, but she has always clearly spoken of her determination to “win gold in Milan.”

Takagi had struggled with off-track issues such as securing funding for the sport. Even so, she would say, “No matter how challenging it got, the 1,500 meters always kept me going.” Takagi took pride in aiming for the best possible skate in this demanding event that requires both speed and endurance.

At the latest Games, she secured three bronze medals, extending her Olympic medal haul to 10.

Takagi stuck to her aggressive racing style in her signature event. However, the gold medal she most desired remained out of reach.

“Part of me feels I tried really hard, but part of me doesn’t want to end it just by saying so. It’s difficult. It really is,” Takagi said after the race. Appearing to struggle to process her feelings, the skater was unable to put her current emotions into words.