Jutta Leerdam Wins Silver in 500m; Jake Paul’s Fiancée Shines
Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam recently secured a silver medal in the women’s 500-meter speed skating event at the Milan Cortina Games. This achievement, which took place on February 15, 2026, brings her total Olympic medal count to three. Leerdam’s time was only 0.66 seconds behind her teammate Femke Kok, who set an Olympic record of 36.49 seconds.
Performance Overview
- Event: Women’s 500m speed skating
- Date: February 15, 2026
- Silver Medalist: Jutta Leerdam (Netherlands)
- Gold Medalist: Femke Kok (Netherlands) – Olympic record: 36.49 seconds
- Bronze Medalist: Miho Takagi (Japan)
- Fourth Place: Erin Jackson (USA) – missed podium by 0.5 seconds
Context and Reactions
Leerdam entered the competition with considerable expectations, and faced some criticism prior to the Games for choosing to fly in a private jet. However, she rebutted her critics with a stellar performance. Her silver medal follows a historic week, during which she set a world record in the women’s 1000-meter race, clocking in at 1:12.31 and earning her first gold medal.
Her fiancé, boxing star Jake Paul, was visibly emotional after her race. He expressed his pride and admiration in an interview, stating, “It’s the greatest feeling of anything I’ve ever witnessed. The amount of hard work that goes into it is immense.” He also took to Instagram to applaud her success, exclaiming, “Another medal, you inspire us all, Jutta Leerdam.”
Significance of the Achievement
Leerdam’s second-place finish marks an improvement from her performance at the 2022 Beijing Games, where she finished fifth in the 500-meter event. Her latest achievements solidify her status as one of the premier athletes in speed skating.
As the Winter Games continue, all eyes will be on Leerdam to see if she can maintain her momentum and continue to add to her impressive medal tally.
