American speed skater Jordan Stolz continued his remarkable performance by setting two new rink records at the ISU World Cup event in Hamar, Norway, improving his previous achievements from last week in Heerenveen.
ISU Skating, the International Skating Union’s official news outlet, reported on Stolz’s dominance in the 500m and 1500m races during the competition.
Stolz first broke the rink record in the 500 meters, lowering the time to 33.97 seconds, surpassing Dutch skater Jenning de Boo’s previous mark by 0.24 seconds. De Boo had improved on his own previous record shortly before Stolz’s final run, but Stolz’s time remained unmatched. After the race, Stolz remarked humorously about needing extra luggage to transport the numerous plaques earned from his record-breaking streak.
De Boo expressed mixed feelings following the race, acknowledging both satisfaction with his performance and frustration at being outpaced by Stolz. He highlighted the need to improve his starting technique to better compete against Stolz’s fast starts. Despite Stolz’s record-breaking runs, De Boo maintained that Stolz could be challenged with further improvements in his own skating.
Polish skater Damian Zurek secured the bronze medal with a time of 34.42 seconds in the 500m, marking a successful return after recovering from a groin injury that had affected his recent performances.
In the 1500 meters, Stolz also set a new rink record by finishing in 1 minute 44.16 seconds, surpassing the 16-year-old record previously held by his former coach and American skating legend Shani Davis. Davis sent Stolz a congratulatory message after the race, demonstrating their ongoing connection despite the record being broken.
Dutch Olympic Champion Kjeld Nuis finished second in the 1500m with a time of 1 minute 44.95 seconds, acknowledging Stolz’s current dominance but viewing the gap as potentially bridgeable in future races. Stolz expressed confidence looking ahead to the Olympics, anticipating strong competition but aiming to maintain his form.
The ISU World Cup events also serve as qualification opportunities for the Olympic Games. Skaters accumulate points to earn quota spots for their countries through the Special Olympic Qualification Classifications. Each National Olympic Committee can earn up to nine quota places per gender, with further limits on entries per distance.
