In a spectacular display of athletic prowess, U.S. speedskating sensation Jordan Stolz has embarked on his ambitious journey to secure four gold medals, kicking things off with an impressive Olympic record.
On Wednesday in Milan, Stolz achieved a monumental milestone by winning his inaugural Olympic medal, clinching the gold in the 1,000-meter event while simultaneously setting a new Olympic record.
His remarkable performance saw him finishing in just 1:06.28, which is nearly a full second faster than the previous record. He outpaced competitors Jenning de Boo from The Netherlands and China's Zhongyan Ning, who took home the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Reflecting on his thrilling final lap, Stolz shared with NBC News, "At the 600-meter mark, I noticed Jenning was ahead and I started to worry that he might take the win. I realized I couldn't let that happen, so I put everything I had into those last moments and managed to catch up to him."
Stolz, who is widely regarded as the top skater globally, made his Olympic debut at the tender age of 17 during the 2022 Winter Games, where he finished in 13th place in the 500-meter and 14th in the 1,000-meter events. Since then, he has dominated the international skating scene.
He swept all three events—the 500-meter, 1,000-meter, and 1,500-meter—at the world championships in both 2023 and 2024, earning the distinction of being the youngest male World Allround champion in 46 years. In January 2024, he set a world record for the 1,000-meter with a time of 1:05.37 in Salt Lake City, Utah; however, he expressed that his Olympic achievement felt even more significant since it took place at sea level rather than at altitude.
Currently, Stolz is on an impressive streak, having not lost a single race in the 1,000-meter event across 14 consecutive World Cup competitions.
On the emotional impact of winning his first Olympic gold, Stolz remarked, "This feels even more gratifying than I had anticipated. It means everything to me. I have dedicated the last four years to training hard since the last Olympics, knowing you only get one chance to win gold in the 1,000 meters. Achieving this goal amid expectations is an incredible feeling."
As a native of Wisconsin, Stolz is poised to compete for gold in not just the 1,000-meter, but also in the 500-meter and 1,500-meter events, while potentially also participating in the men’s mass start. If he succeeds in securing at least three gold medals, he would join the ranks of Eric Heiden, becoming the only American, regardless of gender, to achieve such an extraordinary feat at a single Winter Olympics.
Expressing his relief at having secured his first gold, Stolz said, "It’s a great feeling to get the first one out of the way. This experience has given me a taste of the crowd's energy, the pressure, and the anticipation that come with these events. Now I know what to expect moving forward."
With the excitement building around Stolz’s upcoming races, many are eager to see how he will continue to perform under the spotlight.
