Sports
Dutchman Jens Van 't Wout wins men's 1500m short track for second gold
Feb 12, 2026; Milan, Italy; Gold medalist Jens van ‘T Wout of the Netherlands celebrates during the medal ceremony for the men’s 1000m during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images MILAN, Italy — Dutchman Jens van ‘t Wout struck gold in the men’s 1500 meters short track on Saturday, his second individual title, as the Netherlands continued their strong showing at the Milan Cortina Games.
South Korean reigning champion Hwang Dae-heon came second, while Latvia’s Roberts Kruzbergs won the bronze.
“This race with nine people was like a table of roulette in the casino. And the fact that I can win like this, really fight well. It’s insane,” Van ‘t Wout said.
There were extra skaters in the finals because of reinstatements after crashes in the semi-finals.
Van ‘t Wout said that he had been shown a video of the 2022 final in Beijing, which featured 10 skaters, just before the race to get his tactics right.
“I thought, let’s see what the winner did then. And that was to sit at the front of the race. So that’s what I tried to do,” he added.
The victories are a vindication for the 24-year-old who has a visible scar on his cheek after a skating accident in 2019 that almost caused him to quit the sport.
In the women’s events, Arianna Fontana maintained her quest for an Italian record 14th Olympic medal when she qualified for the quarterfinals of the 1000 meters and made it to the final of the 3000 meters relay with her national team.
“Today it was mission accomplished,” she told reporters.
THIRD GOLD FOR THE NETHERLANDS IN SHORT TRACK
Van ‘t Wout and compatriot Xandra Velzeboer had doubled up on Thursday as she took the women’s 500 meters gold, while he won the men’s 1000 meters crown.
The Dutch skater took the lead with four laps to go on Saturday in the Milan Ice Skating Arena and never gave it up. He skated around the ice draped in the red, white and blue Dutch flag to celebrate after his victory.
After the medal ceremony, he greeted his parents in the crowd.
“Every time I look at my dad, he’s like: how are you doing this? And I’m like: I have no idea,” he said.
The victory by the Dutch skater ended South Korea’s winning streak in Beijing and Pyeongchang.
KRUZBERGS HOPES BRONZE MAKES SHORT TRACK POPULAR IN LATVIA
Latvia’s Kruzbergs, who had not been considered among the favorites, said he was very happy with his bronze medal.
“Hopefully this brings some recognition to the sport itself in Latvia. And this is an incredible achievement. I’m just super happy that the medal is here, you know. I’m extremely, extremely happy that with a knee injury I’m able to get it,” he said.
China’s Sun Long, who won silver in the 1000 meters on Thursday, suffered an injury just below the knee following a collision during the final, and members of his delegation had to help him exit the rink.
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Suns agree to deal with F Haywood Highsmith
Apr 28, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (24) reaches for the basketball to prevent it from going out of bounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second quarter during game four for the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images The Phoenix Suns agreed to a multi-year deal with forward Haywood Highsmith, per ESPN.
Highsmith was an integral rotation player for the Miami Heat for four seasons (2021-25). During that span, he started 80 games. Overall, he averaged 5.5 points and 3.2 rebounds across 20.3 minutes per game, while shooting 37.5% from 3-point range with the Heat.
In August 2025, he tore his meniscus while working out. Soon after, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets.
He did not play a game for the Nets. They waived him at the trade deadline.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Juke Harris' 25 points spark Wake Forest over Stanford
Feb 14, 2026; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Stanford Cardinal and Wake Forest Demon Deacons players scramble for the loose ball during the first half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Juke Harris scored 25 points and hit key shots down the stretch as Wake Forest rallied past Stanford in a 68-63 victory in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Saturday.
Mekhi Mason came off the bench for 10 points for Wake Forest (13-12, 4-8 Atlantic Coast Conference), which won at home for the first time since Jan. 3.
Harris shot 6 of 15 from the field and 12 of 13 at the free-throw line, eclipsing the 20-point mark for the fourth consecutive game.
Ebuka Okorie scored 26 points for Stanford (16-10, 5-8), which was in position for its second road win in four days until the final minute. The Cardinal won at Boston College on Wednesday night.
Benny Gealer’s 11 points and Aidan Cammann’s 10 points and 11 rebounds helped Stanford, which was outscored 28-9 on free throws.
Wake Forest ended the game on a 17-5 run. Harris, who also led Wake Forest in rebounding with seven, scored the team’s final seven points.
The Demon Deacons overcame 4-of-17 shooting on 3-pointers by making 28 of 32 foul shots.
Wake Forest closed within 60-59 on two Omaha Biliew free throws with 2:30 left. The Demon Deacons were even at 61-all on Harris’ lay-in.
On the next possession, Harris drove into the lane for an off-balance shot, giving the Demon Deacons the lead at the 54-second mark.
Stanford’s Jeremy Dent-Smith missed an open jumper from inside the arc before Harris went 1 of 2 at the free-throw line. Okorie then forced a potential tying 3-pointer, with Harris rebounding and responding with two foul shots.
Stanford scored the final seven points of the first half for a 39-30 lead at the break.
Okorie and Gealer both finished with three 3-pointers. Stanford starters Donavin Young and Ryan Agarwal were both scoreless in 24 combined minutes.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Damian Lillard wins 3-point Contest for 3rd time, ties Larry Bird
Feb 14, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) celebrates with the trophy after winning the three point contest during the 2026 NBA All Star Saturday Night at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Damian Lillard has not played a minute on the court for the Portland Trail Blazers this season and yet still found a way to make an impact at All-Star Weekend.
Lillard defeated seven other long-distance shooting rivals in the 3-point Contest and won the event Saturday for a third time, tying the record previously held by Larry Bird and Craig Hodges. The 35-year-old has been out due to an Achilles injury.
Lillard scored 29 points in the final round to hold off Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, who had 27 in the final after posting a high score of 30 while advancing from the first round. Rookie Kon Knnueppel of the Charlotte Hornets also advanced to the final round but was eliminated with a score of 17.
While Lillard made his final 3-point shot to record his 29, Booker reached 27 by making his first two shots on the final rack of balls, then missed all three of his final shots, any one of which would have forced overtime in the competition.
In addition to Booker’s 30 in the first found, Knueppel and Lillard each scored 27 to move on. Failing to advance were the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (24), the Miami Heat’s Norman Powell (23), the Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (18), the Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey (17) and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Bobby Portis Jr. (15).
–Doug Padilla, Field Level Media
Report: Suns agree to deal with F Haywood Highsmith
Juke Harris' 25 points spark Wake Forest over Stanford
