US speedskater Jordan Stolz has set a new Olympic record in the men’s 1,000 metres at the Milan Cortina Games, securing his first gold medal and signalling his intent for a remarkable four-gold Winter Olympics.
The 21-year-old from Wisconsin clocked an impressive 1 minute, 6.28 seconds, eclipsing the previous Olympic standard that had stood since 2002 – before Stolz was born.
Competing in the penultimate pairing at the temporary Milano Speed Skating Stadium, a venue already renowned for producing rapid times, Stolz’s performance, while not threatening his own world record of 1:05.37, was a testament to the exceptional conditions.
Indeed, all four long track speedskating races in Milan have so far resulted in the fastest times ever recorded at an Olympics.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Stolz, who, as a 17-year-old at the 2022 Beijing Games, finished 14th in the 1,000m and 13th in the 500m.
His triumph also ends a 14-year drought for the United States in this event, with the last medal coming at the 2010 Vancouver Games when his mentor, Shani Davis, won gold.
Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands claimed silver, half a second behind Stolz, while China’s Zhongyan Ning secured the bronze.
The race itself was a thrilling affair. With speedskating legend Eric Heiden and rapper Snoop Dogg watching from the stands, Stolz initially pulled ahead of de Boo.
The Dutch skater then briefly took the lead, but Stolz surged back in the final corner, crossing the finish line first before an understated pump of his right hand.
A victory lap with the American flag was momentarily delayed as a re-skate was ordered for Joep Wennermars of the Netherlands, who had been bumped during his original heat.
However, Wennermars’ subsequent attempt did not come close to Stolz’s winning time, confirming the American’s dominant performance as a pre-race favourite.
