The Netherlands etched their name in Olympic history on Friday, becoming the first nation to achieve a remarkable double in hockey. Just 24 hours after their men’s team triumphed over Germany, the Dutch women’s team, the defending champions, secured their fifth Olympic gold medal with a thrilling 3-1 shootout victory over China.
The Dutch women, appearing in their sixth consecutive final, faced a determined Chinese team that held them to a 1-1 draw in regulation time. China’s Chen Yi stunned the Dutch with an early goal in the sixth minute, but the Dutch relentlessly pressured their opponents throughout the match.
With nine minutes remaining, Dutch penalty corner specialist Yibbi Jansen leveled the scores with her ninth goal of the tournament. The match went into a shootout, where Dutch goalkeeper Anne Veenendaal emerged as the hero. She saved the first two Chinese attempts and denied Ma Ning’s shot to spark wild celebrations among the Dutch supporters.
“It was fantastic,” said Dutch coach Paul van Ass. “The Chinese did very well, but we attacked well and eventually got the goal we needed.”
The victory marked the first time a nation had doubled up in Olympic hockey. It also marked China’s second silver medal, following their success at home in Beijing in 2008.
“This is just amazing,” said Chinese coach Alyson Annan, who previously led the Dutch to Olympic success in Tokyo. “We did everything we could, but they were just better in the shootout today.”
The Dutch had dominated the tournament, winning all their pool matches and defeating Great Britain and Argentina in the knockout stages. However, the Chinese proved to be a formidable opponent, defending bravely and limiting the Dutch to just three shots on goal.
Despite the disappointment of falling short of gold, Annan remained optimistic about China’s future. “Gold in LA,” she told reporters. “We have to keep pursuing a higher place on the podium.”
In the bronze medal match, Argentina claimed their third Olympic bronze medal with a 3-1 shootout win over Belgium after their third-place play-off ended in a 2-2 draw.
