Miho Takagi wins 1500m and 1000m at Hamar World Cup, Milano–Cortina Olympic berth virtually secured
The ISU Speed Skating World Cup 2025–26 Round 4 was held in Hamar, Norway from 12–14 December 2025. Japan’s middle-distance ace Miho Takagi (31, TOKIO Inkarami / Team GOLD) produced a dominant performance, winning both the women’s 1500m and 1000m at this crucial final World Cup round of the Olympic season.
Takagi first took her season’s first World Cup victory in the women’s 1500m with a strong time of 1:54.953, bringing her tally to a Japanese record 37 career World Cup wins. This result has made her selection for the women’s 1500m at the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics virtually certain. She then backed it up the next day by winning the women’s 1000m in 1:14.391, once again underlining her status as the world’s leading middle-distance skater.
Across the Winter Olympic Games she has so far collected seven medals, but as she herself has often said – “everything is for winning the 1500m at the Olympics.” This double crown in Hamar is a major step towards that long-cherished goal.
Women’s 1500m official results (Top 3)
*Extract from the official ISU results (ISU Speed Skating World Cup #4, Hamar).
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miho Takagi | Japan (JPN) | 1:54.953 |
| 2 | Nadezhda Morozova | Kazakhstan (KAZ) | 1:54.982 |
| 3 | Ragne Wiklund | Norway (NOR) | 1:55.188 |
Takagi’s victory came by the razor-thin margin of just 0.029 seconds over Morozova. Even on the final lap she showed tremendous composure and endurance, using world-class race management to hold off her rivals to the line.
Women’s 1000m official results (Top 3)
Takagi’s strength was just as evident in the women’s 1000m, a distance leaning more towards sprint characteristics. To come out on top of such a strong field in the closing stage of the season is highly significant with the Olympics on the horizon.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miho Takagi | Japan (JPN) | 1:14.391 |
| 2 | Femke Kok | Netherlands (NED) | 1:14.732 |
| 3 | Marrit Fledderus | Netherlands (NED) | 1:15.393 |
In the same race, Japan’s Rio Yamada also impressed with a time of 1:16.043, finishing 6th. For the young skater, it was a strong result that will give her confidence heading into her first Olympic season.
Yukino Yoshida takes 3rd in women’s 500m, second World Cup podium of the season
On the opening day’s women’s 500m, Yukino Yoshida (Kotobukihiro) clocked 37.75 to finish 3rd, claiming her second World Cup podium of the season after the opening round. Her stable starts and strong acceleration on the back straight stood out as she battled with the very best sprinters in the world.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Femke Kok | Netherlands (NED) | 37.051 |
| 2 | Kaja Ziomek-Nogal | Poland (POL) | 37.652 |
| 3 | Yukino Yoshida | Japan (JPN) | 37.750 |
This podium finish represents a major step forward towards her first Olympic appearance. Having now stood on the World Cup podium multiple times over the season, Yoshida is steadily building the confidence needed to compete on the international stage.
Japanese men’s sprinters closing in on the podium
Japan’s men’s sprinters also delivered encouraging performances. In the men’s 500m, Wataru Morishige (Okamoto Group) finished 4th in 34.49, while Yuta Hirose (Takasaki University of Health and Welfare) placed 5th – both just outside the podium positions.
The win went to American star Jordan Stolz, who set a track record with 33.979. Even so, the fact that the Japanese skaters were able to limit the gap to around half a second against the world record holder is highly promising for their chances of contending for medals at the Milano–Cortina Olympics.
A crucial final World Cup before Milano–Cortina
As the final World Cup round with Olympic quota places on the line, Hamar attracted the very best skaters from each country. For the Japanese team to secure multiple top finishes across several events in that context is extremely meaningful, both for Olympic selection and for internal competition within the squad.
With the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics drawing ever closer, this World Cup serves as a vital barometer of how well-prepared the Japanese speed skating team are. Takagi’s double triumph and the strong performances by both the women’s and men’s sprint squads suggest that Japan will head into the Games with genuine hopes of multiple medals on the ice.
