Dutch powerhouse Jutta Leerdam delivered a performance for the ages, capturing the gold medal in the women’s 1000m speed skating final at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Leerdam clocked a blistering 1:12.31, setting a new Olympic record and securing her first individual Olympic gold. Her victory was the centerpiece of a dominant “Dutch 1-2” finish, providing the Netherlands with its first medals of the 2026 Games.
The Final Standings
The race was a high-stakes battle that saw the Olympic record broken twice in just a few minutes.
| Medal | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| Gold | Jutta Leerdam | Netherlands | 1:12.31 | New Olympic Record (OR) |
| Silver | Femke Kok | Netherlands | 1:12.59 | Briefly held the OR for minutes. |
| Bronze | Miho Takagi | Japan | 1:13.95 | Defending 2022 champion. |
Key Race Highlights
The Record Chase: Skating in the final pair against the defending champion, Miho Takagi, Leerdam knew she had to beat the time of 1:12.59 set just moments earlier by her teammate, Femke Kok.
Pacing Mastery: Leerdam opened with a 17.68-second split and maintained a ferocious pace, closing her final lap in 28.53 seconds to lower the record by nearly 0.3 seconds.
Emotional Victory: Upon crossing the finish line and seeing the green light next to her name, Leerdam was overcome with emotion. She was cheered on from the stands by her fiancé, Jake Paul, whose presence added to the high-profile nature of the win.
“I knew that if I felt tired during the race, I wasn’t allowed to feel tired. I told myself: ‘You have fought so hard for this.’ Seeing that green next to my name… it’s a dream come true.” — Jutta Leerdam, February 2026
