Four years after coming up short, Jutta Leerdam achieved her goal in Milan.
On Monday afternoon, the dazzling Dutch speed skater stunned fans with an Olympic record and gold-medal performance, finishing the women’s 1,000-meter speed skating final in 1:12.31.
Leerdam celebrated her first Olympic gold with tears and triumphant waves to the cheering crowd. She paused near the stands to blow a kiss to her fiancé, Jake Paul, who was visibly moved to tears by the emotional moment.
Jutta Leerdam Breaks Olympic Record, Wins Gold in Women’s 1,000m at Milano Cortina 2026
Jutta Leerdam of Team Netherlands celebrated a historic victory on February 9, 2026, at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, breaking the Olympic record in the women’s 1,000-meter speed skating event on day three of the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
Leerdam clocked an astonishing 1:12.31, outpacing defending Olympic and world champion Miho Takagi of Japan, who finished third with a time of 1:13.95. Dutch teammate Femke Kok captured silver, stopping the clock at 1:12.59.
“I couldn’t believe it, but I was also so tired,” Leerdam told reporters after her win. “It was hard to feel something. I couldn’t really stand, I couldn’t really see, I couldn’t do anything. I knew that if during the race I felt tired, I wasn’t allowed to. I told myself, ‘You have 80 years to recover from this; you can feel tired after. You don’t want to live with that regret. You fought so hard for this.’”
The final featured 15 heats, each with a pair of skaters vying for the top spot. Leerdam competed in the last heat against Takagi, thrilling a crowd of orange-clad fans as she surged ahead.
“When I saw that green next to my name, I thought, ‘Oh my, this is a dream come true,’” Leerdam added. “I really couldn’t believe it, and I still can’t. Peaking at the right moment is just insane. I am so, so happy.”
Leerdam had chased this moment since the 2022 Beijing Games, where she settled for silver behind Takagi. Four years later, she not only claimed gold but also shaved nearly a full second off Takagi’s winning time from Beijing, cementing her status as one of the sport’s brightest stars.
