Speed ​​skating: World Cup silver for Herzog over 500 m

Austria’s figurehead in speed skating was beaten by Femke Kok from the Netherlands by just 0.05 seconds over 500 m on Friday and won silver.

The 27-year-old won over this distance for the first time in almost three years in the last World Cup race of the season in Poland. And now I’ve taken the momentum with me to the individual route. “There are five, six, seven girls who can win, including me,” Herzog had said in advance of the group of medal candidates.

“Whenever I’ve been fit, I’ve been in the top two, but the World Championships are a separate race, a different track, the Dutch are always good at their home races.” She should be right and placed in the “Dutch sandwich” between Kok and Jutta Leerdam (+0.26).

After two herniated discs in 2021, the Tyrolean has now survived a whole season well – and in the end also successfully. “The back is doing great,” said Herzog. “Every now and then it pinches, but that’s the case with everyone.” In Heerenveen, Herzog will also run the 1,000 m on Saturday and the 1,500 m on Sunday to mark the end of the season.