Leerdam Eyes First Olympic Title, Eitrem Shatters 5,000m World Record at Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympics in Milan are heating up, with Jutta Leerdam poised to compete for her first gold medal in the 1,000 meters, and Sander Eitrem delivering a stunning performance in the 5,000m. The competition is fierce as athletes battle for Olympic glory.
Leerdam will face a challenging matchup against defending champion Miho Takagi in the final pairing of the 1,000m event. This highly anticipated race will too see Leerdam compete against teammate Femke Kok and Japanese contender Rio Yamada. A recent analysis suggests the draw could impact Leerdam, Kok, or Schulting’s chances at Olympic gold.
In a remarkable display of speed and endurance, Norway’s Sander Eitrem claimed gold in the men’s 5,000m, breaking the world record with a time of 5:58.52. He surpassed the previous record of 6:00.23, set by France’s Timothy Loubineaud at the season opener in Salt Lake City. Loubineaud finished third behind Czechia’s Metodej Jilek, the 2025 junior world champion, who finished the season as the World No. 1 in the long distances.
The Dutch skating team is hoping to secure their first medals of the Games after a difficult start. Merel Conijn finished ninth in the women’s 3000m on Saturday, while Joy Beune and Marieke Groenewoud placed fourth and eighth, respectively. Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida won the 3000m, setting a fresh Olympic record with a time of 3:54.28.
Meanwhile, in the men’s 5000m, the Dutch team failed to reach the podium for the first time since 1984. Chris Huizinga finished seventh with a time of 6:11.58, falling short of a medal. Stijn van de Bunt finished two places behind Huizinga, and Marcel Bosker was 11th.
On the speed skating front, Jordan Stolz continues to dominate, securing his second-straight 1000m World Cup season title. He has now broken seven track records in his last eight sprints and boasts a 14-race win streak in the 1000m, dating back to December 2023. Stolz’s winning time in Inzell was 1 minute, 6.83 seconds, 0.28 seconds faster than the previous mark set by China’s Ning Zhongyan in March 2024. He has held the 1000m world record since January 2024.
Two other Americans also had strong performances in the 1000m: Cooper McLeod finished fifth with a time of 1:07.39, and Conor McDermott-Mostowy finished seventh in 1:07.92. Both skaters are set to make their Olympic debuts in Milan.
Jutta Leerdam also set a meet record in the women’s 1,000m, winning with a time of 1:12.74. Miho Takagi finished second in 1:13.43, and Femke Kok came in third with a time of 1:13.67.
