Jordan Stolz had envisioned this moment for most of his life, starting from when he was just five years old, learning to skate on a frozen pond in his Wisconsin backyard and falling in love with speedskating during the 2010 Winter Olympics. His dream was to one day stand on the podium himself.
Despite a brief delay of about 10 minutes on Wednesday, Stolz remained unfazed as he waited to secure his first speed skating gold medal. As Stolz later mentioned, he was confident in his time and didn’t anticipate anyone surpassing it.
After ensuring that another competitor had the opportunity for a re-skate, Stolz finally received his well-deserved gold medal for clinching victory in the men’s 1,000 meters at the Milan-Cortina Games with an Olympic-record time of 1 minute 6.28 seconds.
Reflecting on his achievement, Stolz expressed disbelief, stating, “It was just a feeling like, ‘You finally did it.’ It almost doesn’t seem real, right?” The silver medal went to Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands with a time of 1:06.78, while Zhongyan Ning of China claimed the bronze in 1:07.34.
Canadian speed skater Laurent Dubreuil, aiming for a second consecutive Winter Games medal in the men’s 1,000 meters after securing silver in Beijing four years ago, finished eighth with a time of 1:08.21. His teammates David La Rue and Anders Johnson placed 18th (1:09.310) and 22nd (1:09.54) among the 27 finishers.
Stolz’s gold medal marks the first for the United States in the event since Shani Davis won the 1,000m gold at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Stolz, a native of Kewaskum, Wis., holds the world record of 1:05.37 and has triumphed in all five races this season on the World Cup circuit.
Looking ahead, Stolz is set to compete in three more events in Italy – the 500 meters on Saturday, the 1,500 meters on Feb. 19, and the mass start on Feb. 21. He expressed optimism about his upcoming races, noting that having secured his first gold medal, he now has a better understanding of what to expect in terms of crowd energy and ice conditions.
Despite a delay in his victory lap due to a re-skate, Stolz’s dominance in the 1,000 meters was evident as he outpaced his competitors. His last lap surge left de Boo trailing, with Stolz crossing the finish line first with a remarkable display of speed and control.
In contrast, Dubreuil, at 33 years old, exhibited a strong performance in the race, showcasing his technical prowess. Despite finishing behind Daniele di Stefano, Dubreuil’s start was praised by CBC Sports analyst Anastasia Bucsis, a former Canadian Olympic speed skater.
Dubreuil, with a record of over 50 World Cup medals, overcame a slow start to the season to compete in the Winter Games. His experience and skill in the 500 meters are highly anticipated, with Bucsis emphasizing his potential in the upcoming race.
Additionally, the return of David La Rue, 27, from a cycling accident in 2023 to qualify for his first Olympics was commendable. Anders Johnson, 28, making his Olympic debut, displayed promise in his races, showcasing his talent and potential for future success in speed skating.
Overall, the performances of Stolz, Dubreuil, and the Canadian skaters have set an exciting tone for the speed skating events at the Milan-Cortina Games, with each athlete demonstrating their skill and determination on the ice.