The Netherlands is heading for a record haul of gold medals this Olympic games, following the victory by cycling team sprint team Roy van den Berg, Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland, who set a new world record in the process.

Including the gold for sailor Marit Bouwmeester, which has still not been finally confirmed, the Dutch now have nine gold medals – nearing the record of 12 set in Sydney in 2000.

More medal hopes have been placed on the shoulders of Femke Bol, who takes part in the final of the 400 metres hurdles on Thursday. But Bol is not top favourite for the event. That role goes to world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone who was not in action when Bol won the world title last year.

Bol is also part of the 4×400 metres relay, which also won the world title in Budapest in 2023. The heats take place on Thursday and the final on Friday evening.

Sifan Hassan is also a favourite to win gold in the 10,000 metres on Friday – she is defending Olympic champion over that distance – and is also a contender in the marathon. Abdi Nageeye, who won silver in the marathon in Tokyo, is an outsider in the men’s race.

Track cyclists Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland are favourites in the men’s sprint and the keirin, while Hetty van de Wouw and Steffie van der Peet are considered medal hopefuls in the women’s cycling.

Sharon van Rouwendaal, who won Olympic gold in 2016 and silver in 2021, has a good chance in the open water swimming event, having taken the 10 kilometre world title earlier this year.

The men’s hockey team qualified for the final on Tuesday for the first time in 2012 with a 4-0 win over Spain, and the women’s team plays Argentina for a final place later on Wednesday.

The Netherlands is currently in ninth place on the medals table with eight gold, five silver and six bronze medals. As well as the cycling gold picked up on Tuesday, equestrian Maikel van der Vleuten won bronze in the show jumping.