MILAN, Italy — Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam was crowned Olympic champion in the women’s 1,000 meters at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, winning the gold medal with a new Olympic record. The 27-year-old athlete delivered a flawless performance at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, defeating her compatriot Femke Kok, who took silver, and Japan’s Miho Takagi, who had set the previous record in Beijing 2022. Leerdam stopped the clock below her rivals’ times, sealing the biggest victory of her career after finishing as Olympic runner-up four years ago.

The win also produced one of the most emotional images of these Games. Leerdam celebrated in tears on the ice as she thanked the crowd for their support, where her partner, boxer and influencer Jake Paul, was watching, visibly moved by her achievement. With this gold medal and Olympic record, the Dutch skater not only confirms her dominance in the discipline but also becomes one of the standout stars of Milano-Cortina 2026, cementing her place among the world’s elite in speed skating.