Brilliant Van der Poel shatters world record to claim second world title of the week in Heerenveen

Swedish speedster Nils van der Poel shattered the men's 10,000m world record to soar to his second World Speed Skating Championship title in four days in Heerenveen.

Van der Poel was crowned world 5000m champion on Thursday and followed up his hegemony with another imperious performance in the Dutch Sunday showpiece.

He stopped the clock in a searing 12:32.952 to topple home favourite Jorrit Bergsma by 12.91s and cap a week to remember on the Thialf ice.

Russian Skating Union athlete Alexander Rumyantsev claimed the final spot on the podium but it was all about Van der Poel, who became the first Swedish man to break a world record since Tomas Gustafsson over the same distance at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary.

Van der Poel, 24, had never previously won a World Championship medal but on Thursday became the first Swede to ascend the podium for 38 years.

His 5000m triumph was his country's first gold medal for almost half a century and he doubled up on Sunday with another stunning performance.

Dutch ace Irene Schouten also made history for her country as she became Netherlands' first world champion in the women's 5000m.

The country had enjoyed previous world champions over every other distance and Schouten finally ended their years of 5000m hurt with a brilliant performance on home ice.

The 28-year-old crossed the line in 6:48.537 to leave both Russia's Natalia Voronina and compatriot Carlijn Achtereekte in the rear view mirror.

Schouten scooped mass start bronze at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games and further augmented her glittering collection of medals after beating Voronina, 26, by more than two seconds.

The result marked Schouten's fourth overall World Championship medal after also claiming 2021 team pursuit glory alongside Ireen Wust and Antoinette de Jong earlier in the week.