Speed Skating Star Dominates Milan Cortina, Eyes Historic Run
American speedskater Jordan Stolz won gold in the men’s 1000 meters at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Wednesday, setting a new Olympic record with a time of 1 minute, 6.28 seconds. The 21-year-old dominated the competition at Milano Speed Skating Stadium, finishing a half-second ahead of silver medalist Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, with China’s Ning Zhongyan capturing bronze.
Stolz’s victory marks the first men’s 1000m medal for the United States since Shani Davis—his mentor—won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games. It also represents Stolz’s first Olympic medal after finishing 14th and 13th in the 1000m and 500m, respectively, at the 2022 Beijing Games as a 17-year-old.
A Record-Breaking Performance
The Wisconsin native’s time shattered the previous Olympic standard of 1:07.18, which had stood since 2002—before Stolz was born. Though Stolz didn’t threaten his world record of 1:05.37, his dominant performance continued an Olympic trend: all four men’s long-track speedskating races in Milan have been won in the fastest times ever recorded at an Olympics.
Skating in the next-to-last pairing, Stolz built an early lead and maintained control through the final corner. He finished with the largest margin of victory at the Olympic level since 1984, crossing the finish line with his hands on his knees before celebrating with an understated pump of his right fist.
Potential for Historic Achievement
With three additional events ahead—the 500 meters on Saturday, the 1500 on February 19, and the mass start on February 21—Stolz has the potential for a historic Olympics. Speedskating legend Eric Heiden remains the only skater to win five gold medals at a single Winter Games, accomplishing the feat at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics across the 500, 1000, 1500, 5000, and 10,000 meters. Stolz’s dominance heading into Milan—including 16 World Cup victories this season and a 5-for-5 record in the 1000m—suggests four golds is well within reach.
Stolz, who began skating on a frozen pond behind his Wisconsin home after watching the 2010 Winter Olympics as a 5-year-old, has quickly established himself as the sport’s elite performer. He holds two world championships at the 1000m distance and is a two-time World Cup series champion in multiple distances.
Looking Ahead
The American’s medal comes after a stumble at the U.S. Olympic trials in January, where he fell early in the race but recovered to place third. Wednesday’s commanding performance proved he had learned from that moment.
