Former short track specialist Suzanne Schulting opened the event with a time of 1:15.46, which stood in the top spot for the first half of the 16 heats. Czech rider Nikola Zdrahalova came closest in the eighth and last heat before the zambonis came out, with a time of 1:15.83.
Following the break, Schulting remained the leader until American Erin Jackson improved to 1:15.00 in the 11th heat. Dutchwoman Femke Kok - one of the favourites to win gold - fought a terrific battle in the 14th heat against world record holder Brittany Bowe and set a giant Olympic record with a time of 1:12.59, six tenths faster than Miho Takagi's record from 2022.
Jutta Leerdam and Miho Takagi - the numbers 2 and 1 of the previous Games - ran a sensational final heat, which saw Leerdam set a new Olympic record again by finishing in 1:12.31 and therefore claim the Netherlands its first gold medal after stealing it from the firm grasp of Femke Kok.
Takagi claimed the third spot with a time of 1:13.95 - 1.36 seconds behind Kok - to round out the top three.
Full classification
1. Jutta Leerdam (NED) - 1:12.31 (OR)
2. Femke Kok (NED) - 1:12.59
3: Miho Takagi (JPN) - 1:13.95
4. Brittany Bowe (USA) – 1:14.55
5. Beatrice Lamarche (CAN) – 1:14.73
6. Erin Jackson (USA) – 1:15.00
7. Rio Yamada (JPN) – 1:15.16
8. Suzanne Schulting (NED) – 1:15.46
9. Lee Na-Hyum (SKO) – 1:15.76
10. Nikola Zdrahalova (CZE) – 1:15.830
11. Ellia Smeding (GBR) – 1:15.834
12. Yin Qi (CHN) – 1:15.87
13. Han Mei (CHN) – 1:15.97
14. Nadezhda Morozova (KAZ) – 1:16.00
15. Natala Czerwonka (POL) – 1:16.09
16. Yukino Yoshida (JPN) – 1:16.11
17. Kaitlyn McGregor (SUI) – 1:16.16
18. Kim Min-Sun (SKO) – 1:16.24
19. Elizaveta Golubeva (KAZ) - 1:16.40
20. Isabelle van Elst (BEL) – 1:16.68
21. Anna Ostlender (GER) - 1:16.83
22. Karolina Bosiek (POL) – 1:16.88
23. Fran Vanhoutte (BEL) – 1:16.93
24. Vanessa Herzog (AUT) – 1:16.99
25. Maybritt Vigl (ITA) – 1:17.151
26. Carolina Hiller-Donnelly (CAN) – 1:17.156
27. Rose Laliberte-Roy (CAN) – 1:17.50
28. Kristina Silaeva (KAZ) – 1:17.57
29. Tian Ruining (CHN) – 1:17.87
30. Jeannine Rosner (AUT) – 1:18.41