Jordan Stolz Sets Olympic Record, Wins Gold in 1,000m at Milan Cortina Games

Milan, Italy (AP) — Jordan Stolz has imagined this moment since he was five years old.

Back then, he was just a kid in Wisconsin, skating on a frozen backyard pond after watching the 2010 Winter Olympics and falling in love with speedskating. He dreamed of standing atop an Olympic podium one day.

On Wednesday at the Milan Cortina Winter Games, that childhood dream became reality — and in record-breaking fashion.

The 21-year-old American captured gold in the men’s 1,000 meters, setting an Olympic record time of 1:06.28 at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.

It wasn’t quite the world record he set in January 2024 (1:05.37), but it was enough to shatter the previous Olympic mark of 1:07.18, which had stood since 2002 — before Stolz was even born.

A Gold Medal — After a Nervous Wait

The celebration, however, had to wait.

After Stolz crossed the finish line first, there was a brief delay before he could officially claim victory. Dutch skater Joep Wennemars was granted a re-skate after being bumped in his heat, forcing Stolz to endure about a 10-minute pause before the result was confirmed.

But Wennemars did not threaten Stolz’s time.

Only then could Stolz allow himself a smile — leaning forward on the podium as the gold medal was placed around his neck.

His initial celebration was understated: a small right-handed fist pump after crossing the line with his hands resting on his knees. The full victory lap with the American flag came later.

Dominant Performance

Skating in the next-to-last pairing, Stolz showed why he entered the race as the heavy favorite.

He pulled ahead of Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands early.

De Boo briefly moved in front.

Stolz surged again at the final corner.

He crossed the line half a second ahead of de Boo.

No other competitor came within a full second of his time.

Medal Results:

🥇 Jordan Stolz (USA) — 1:06.28

🥈 Jenning de Boo (Netherlands)

🥉 Zhongyan Ning (China)

All four long-track speedskating events at these Games have now been won in the fastest Olympic times ever recorded — a testament to both athlete performance and the fast ice at the temporary Milano facility.

From Teenage Olympian to Champion

This gold medal represents a massive leap from Stolz’s Olympic debut in Beijing in 2022.

At just 17 years old, he finished:

14th in the 1,000 meters

13th in the 500 meters

Four years later, he is the man to beat.

Stolz holds:

The 1,000m world record (1:05.37)

Two world championship titles at the distance

A perfect 5-for-5 record in World Cup 1,000m races this season

His dominance has been undeniable.

In fact, even a dramatic fall at U.S. Olympic trials in January — where he slipped early in the race but recovered to post the third-best time — couldn’t derail his momentum.

On Wednesday, there were no stumbles.

Ending a Drought for Team USA

Stolz’s gold marks the first Olympic medal for the United States in the men’s 1,000 meters since the 2010 Vancouver Games.

That was when:

Shani Davis (now a mentor to Stolz) won gold.

Chad Hedrick claimed bronze.

Dutch skaters had dominated the event at the past three Winter Olympics — making Stolz’s victory even more significant.

Echoes of Eric Heiden

Stolz’s name is increasingly being mentioned alongside American speedskating legend Eric Heiden.

Heiden famously won five gold medals at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics — the only speedskater ever to accomplish that feat.

Interestingly, Heiden was in attendance Wednesday, seated next to rapper Snoop Dogg in the stands.

Stolz downplays comparisons, noting that Heiden competed across five distances from 500 to 10,000 meters — a remarkable range.

Still, the parallels are hard to ignore.

Could Four Golds Be Possible?

The 1,000 meters was only the beginning.

Stolz is scheduled to compete in:

500 meters (Saturday)

1,500 meters (Feb. 19)

Mass Start (Feb. 21)

Given his form, it’s not unrealistic to imagine him leaving Italy with multiple gold medals — possibly even four.

Right now, he is unquestionably the best sprint speedskater in the world.

A Backyard Dream Realized

For Stolz, the story isn’t just about times or medals.

It’s about the little kid who watched the Olympics in 2010.

The frozen pond in Wisconsin.

The long hours of training.

The setbacks.

The fall at trials.

The pressure of being the favorite.

And then, the moment.

A record-breaking skate.

A gold medal.

An American flag waiting to be raised.

Jordan Stolz pictured this moment nearly his entire life.

Now, it’s his reality.