Jordan Stolz sets another Olympic record to win his second speedskating gold

Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times on Feb 14, 2026

Published in Olympics

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MILAN — His competitors flashed by with still more than half a lap to go. Jordan Stolz, sitting opposite of the finish line staring at a large video board, looked at his coach and nodded. The U.S. flag quietly came out of a backpack for his impending victory lap.

The 21-year-old speedskating star won his second Olympic medal of the Milan-Cortina Games, setting an Olympic record in the 500 meters on Saturday at 33.77 seconds. He became just the second U.S. man to win the 500 meters and 1,000 meters in the same Winter Games, joining Eric Heiden, who accomplished the feat in 1980 en route to five gold medals.

Heiden looked on in the crowd at Milano Speed Skating Arena as Stolz edged out the Netherlands' Jenning de Boo, who was paired with Stolz and finished 0.11 seconds behind the U.S. star. Canada's Laurent Debreuril took bronze at 34.26 seconds, which also stood as the Olympic record. Skating three pairs before Stolz and de Boo, the 33-year-old Debreuril knew his mark wouldn't last.

"I think Jordan's the greatest speedskater of all time," Debreuil said. "I think those two are the two best sprinters of all time."

The epic race between Stolz and de Boo is the latest in their budding rivalry. De Boo finished half a second behind Stolz in the 1,000 meters on Wednesday, but knew he had a better chance to catch the Wisconsin native in the 500. De Boo's coach advised him that he needed to beat Stolz out of the last corner to have a chance because Stolz was coming from the outer lane, where he would have more speed.

The star racers were even at the critical point. De Boo knew it was over.

Stolz casually took off his hood and shook his fist in the air after crossing the finish line. De Boo slid into the padded wall, seemingly more out of frustration than anything else.

"He's the man to beat right now," de Boo said. "I'm doing my absolute best to beat him, but he's just crazy strong."

Stolz is halfway through his ambitious four-event program in Milan with two gold medals already. An elite sprinter whose start was faster than de Boo's by seven-hundredths of a second, Stolz also has the endurance to survive a 1,500. Without arrogance, he can say he is hoping to win Thursday's 1,500-meter race. A gold medal in the mass start on Feb. 21 would be "a bonus," Stolz said.

"If I raced a 1,500, I would finish last," Debreuil said. "Wouldn't even probably medal against the women because I'm training for 500. I'm just a sprinter. He's good at everything. … It's unbelievable to watch, but it's not something I think we can copy. He's just physically superior."

Stolz could become the first man to win three gold medals in speedskating at one Olympics since 1994, when Norway's Johann Olav Koss won the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000.

After a promising, but medal-less Olympic debut in Beijing, Stolz has become one of the biggest U.S. names in Milan while some of his fellow title contenders have flamed out. Gold-medal favorite figure skater Ilia Malinin stumbled to eighth in stunning fashion, citing the pressure of his first Olympics. Snowboarder Chloe Kim's came up short of a historic third consecutive gold medal and settled for silver. Lindsey Vonn was airlifted off the course after breaking her leg in a violent crash.

Yet Stolz appears unfazed by the moment.

"I kind of felt [the nerves] in the beginning, before the 1,000, but it's something you just have to deal with and get out of your mind," Stolz said, "because if it's going to affect your racing — you can't be letting things like that affect you, especially if you only have one chance to win."

Stolz has more chances but will spend at least one day soaking in this one, he said. He took a victory lap around the arena with the U.S. flag flying above his head as red, white and blue-clad fans chanted "U-S-A!" Even the Dutch fans, forming a wall of bright orange all around the racing oval, clapped in admiration.

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