Milano Cortina 2026 delivered another thrilling chapter in speed skating as American sensation Jordan Stolz powered to his second gold medal of the Games. On February 14, the 21-year-old from Wisconsin shattered the Olympic record in the men’s 500m, clocking an astonishing 33.77 seconds at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.
This victory follows his dominant win in the 1000m earlier in the week, where he also set an Olympic record. Stolz has now become the first male skater to claim both the 500m and 1000m titles at the same Olympics since 1980 in Lake Placid. His pursuit of up to four golds for Team USA continues to captivate fans worldwide.
Intense battle down the final straight
The race unfolded with high drama as Stolz was paired against his rival, the Netherlands’ Jenning de Boo. The duo went blade-to-blade in a frenetic finish, nearly touching skates in the closing meters. De Boo, backed by a sea of orange-clad Dutch supporters, crossed in 33.88 seconds, also under the previous Olympic mark but 0.11 behind Stolz.
Canada’s Laurent Dubreuil secured bronze in 34.26, marking his nation’s first medal in the event since 1998. An emotional Dubreuil had briefly held the Olympic record earlier in the competition before it was eclipsed.
Jordan Stolz reflected on the nail-biting finish
“Coming down the last hundred (metres), I thought I should be able to beat him, and that’s exactly what I did. I had a really good outer turn, and I could feel (De Boo) coming up. When I first entered the turn, I was waiting to hear his skates, and I wasn’t hearing them yet. Then, finally, he started coming up next to me, and I thought, ‘I can beat him now’.”
Jenning de Boo after the result
De Boo expressed mixed emotions despite the strong performance: “This silver medal tastes a little bit less sweet than the one in the 1000m. People say the 500m is my distance, so this is where I should have done it, where I should have won Olympic gold… But I’m pretty happy with my Olympic debut.”
defending champion falls short
China’s Gao Tingyu, the Beijing 2022 500m champion, couldn’t replicate his home success and finished eighth in 34.47. Other notable results included Poland’s Damian Zurek in fourth (34.35), Netherlands’ Sebas Diniz fifth (34.461), and Japan’s Shinhama Tatsuya sixth (34.466).
Stolz’s explosive performance, witnessed by stars like Simone Biles in the stands, highlighted his status as speed skating’s rising force. With more events ahead, the young American’s quest for history at Milano Cortina 2026 shows no signs of slowing down.
