Jordan Stolz secured victory in the men’s 500-meter race at the Pettit National Ice Center on Sunday, January 4, but chose not to compete fully in the 1,500-meter event later that day due to fatigue from illness.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Stolz finished the 500-meter race with the fastest time of the day at 34.761 seconds despite feeling unwell and having already qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials Long Track team. He decided to compete in the race to assess his condition after a recent fall in the 1,000-meter event earlier in the trials.
After completing the 500-meter race with a slower-than-usual opening split of 9.8 seconds, Stolz opted to forfeit skating the full 1,500-meter event. As a pre-qualified athlete, he exercised his option to simply appear at the starting line without completing the race, citing illness and fatigue as the main reasons for this decision.
Stolz explained that he wanted to rest rather than push himself in the middle-distance event, which can be physically demanding, especially following multiple races within a short time. He noted that his recent cold and lack of recovery in the days leading to the competition contributed to his decision. Stolz said he would evaluate his condition before deciding to participate in Monday’s events, which may include another 500-meter race and the mass start.
Stolz’s focus remains firmly on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, scheduled for February 6-22. His recent performances in the 500-meter events have been notably impressive. Having become the youngest skater to win the 500 meters at the 2023 ISU World Single Distance Championships, he successfully defended his title in 2024 with one of the fastest times recorded in history, just shy of the world record.
Despite health setbacks last year, Stolz has maintained dominant performance levels. He holds the Pettit track record in the 500-meter event as well as track records at other venues, reinforcing his status as a leading competitor in long track speed skating.
