U.S. speedskater Jordan Stolz wins gold in 1,000 meters, sets Olympic record

Jordan Stolz pictured this infinitesimal astir of his life, ever since helium was 5 years old, learning to skate connected a frozen pond successful his Wisconsin backyard aft falling successful emotion with speedskating during the 2010 Winter Olympics - and hoping to 1 time measurement atop the podium himself.

So what was the small hassle of a 10-or-so-minute hold to marque definite this archetypal speedskating golden medal would beryllium his Wednesday?

Stolz needed to clasp disconnected connected celebrating until different rival got the accidental for a re-skate, past soon capable was capable to grin portion leaning guardant to person his golden for winning the men's 1,000 meters astatine the Milan Cortina Games successful an Olympic-record time.

Jordan Stolz celebrates his triumph successful the 1,000 metre speedskating last astatine the  Olympic Winter Games Milan Cortina connected Feb. 11, 2026. Peter Kneffel/picture confederation via Getty Images

Now Stolz volition anticipation to support going and adhd to his postulation of trophies arsenic helium entered 3 much events successful Milan.

Skating successful the next-to-last pairing astatine Milano Speed Skating Stadium, a impermanent installation constructed for these Olympics that has been producing accelerated times truthful far, Stolz finished successful 1 minute, 6.28 seconds.

The 21-year-old didn't endanger his satellite grounds of 1:05.37 but did amended the Olympic modular of 1:07.18 that had stood since 2002 - earlier Stolz was born. All 4 agelong way speedskating races successful Milan person been won successful the fastest times ever turned successful astatine an Olympics.

Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands was a half-second slower than Stolz and took the metallic medal. No 1 other came wrong a afloat 2nd of Stolz's time. Zhongyan Ning of China got the bronze.

Stolz's medal was his archetypal astatine this level: As a 17-year-old astatine the 2022 Beijing Games, Stolz came successful 14th successful the 1,000 and 13th successful the 500.

It besides was the archetypal medal of immoderate benignant successful the men's 1,000 for the United States since the 2010 Vancouver Games. That's erstwhile Shani Davis - a mentor to Stolz - won his 2nd consecutive golden successful that event, and Chad Hedrick took the bronze. Dutch men had won the 1,000 astatine each of the past 3 Winter Games.

With Eric Heiden, the lone speedskater to triumph 5 golds astatine 1 Olympics, sitting adjacent to rapper Snoop Dogg successful the stands, Stolz pulled up of de Boo by the clip 1 afloat thigh was done. Then de Boo moved successful front. But Stolz took the pb astatine the last country and crossed archetypal with his hands connected his knees.

He soon was celebrating with an understated pump of his close hand.

A full-on triumph thigh toting an American emblem had to beryllium enactment connected clasp for a bit, though: First, the day's past vigor needed to beryllium held. And past determination was a 10-minute hold earlier Joep Wennermars of the Netherlands was fixed the accidental astatine a re-skate due to the fact that helium had been bumped during his archetypal heat.

But Wennermars didn't travel adjacent to beating Stolz, who entered the time arsenic a large favourite - and came done successful the clutch.

Stolz not lone holds the 1,000 satellite grounds helium acceptable successful January 2024 but is besides a two-time satellite champion astatine the distance. Plus, helium went 5-for-5 connected the World Cup circuit this play successful the event, confirming his presumption arsenic the antheral to bushed astatine the Winter Games.

In a astonishing country astatine the U.S. Olympic trials astatine Milwaukee successful January, Stolz fell to the crystal a fewer strides into the 1,000, past popped backmost up and ended up with the third-best time.

No specified contented erstwhile it mattered the astir Wednesday.

This contention was Stolz's archetypal of his 4 scheduled events successful Milan - and it is not unrealistic to deliberation helium could permission Italy with 4 golden medals, fixed his way grounds and dominance of late. After 2 days off, helium besides is entered successful the 500 meters connected Saturday, the 1,500 connected Feb. 19, and the wide commencement connected Feb. 21, the last time of speedskating astatine these Olympics.

Stolz's sanction is often mentioned alongside that of Heiden, the superstar who is the lone speedskater to assertion 5 long-track golden medals astatine a azygous Winter Games. Heiden won 5 idiosyncratic events astatine the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics: the 500, 1,000, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000.

Stolz says he's flattered to perceive astir specified comparisons, but besides is speedy to enactment that what Heiden accomplished was remarkably different, fixed his information astatine each 5 of those distances. Stolz mightiness adhd the longer distances to his repertoire down the road; for now, helium is the champion determination is successful the sprints.

Dutch men had won the 1,000 astatine each of the past 3 Winter Games.

Stolz, 21, started skating connected the pond down his family's location aft watching Apolo Ohno and Shani Davis successful the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, according to Team USA. 

Stolz besides skates professionally for the Dutch team, Albert Heijn Zaanlander. Speedskating is simply a widely-followed athletics successful the Netherlands, and Stolz said helium hopes to bring much consciousness to velocity skating successful the U.S.  

"It's evidently not going to beryllium arsenic overmuch arsenic it is successful Holland. I privation it was but possibly someday it volition be, but astatine slightest I tin bash a small bit," Stolz told CBS News earlier the Olympics.

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