Jordan Stolz of the United States secured the gold medal in the 1000m speed skating event at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, setting a new Olympic record with a time of 1 minute and 6.28 seconds.
You can read the full report on ISU Skating, published in Italy.
Stolz entered the competition as the favorite, having won the last 14 World Cup races at this distance. His main competitor, Jenning de Boo from the Netherlands, led at the 600m split by 0.37 seconds and attempted to build an early gap by taking the lead at the start and getting a favourable draft on the first back-stretch. Despite a minor misstep at the start, De Boo’s strategy was effective, but Stolz maintained his pace and reserved his energy for a decisive final lap. On the last back-stretch, Stolz accelerated dramatically, ultimately overtaking De Boo in the final corner and crossing the finish line 0.50 seconds ahead.
Stolz highlighted his effort by noting his fastest final lap of 25.66 seconds, the only one under 26 seconds among the competitors. After his victory, Stolz expressed enthusiasm about continuing to compete in other events, including the 500m, 1500m, and Mass Start, aiming for multiple medals during the Games.
De Boo, who won the silver medal with a time of 1:06.78, experienced some pre-race stress after nearly losing his skates in transit but was able to perform well despite the incident. He described the race as intense, noting that he was almost unable to attack in the final turn due to exhaustion, which allowed Stolz to overtake him.
The bronze medal went to Ning Zhongyan from China, who finished with a time of 1:07.34, marking a significant personal achievement and redemption following his participation in the previous Olympics in Beijing. Ning emphasized the importance of this medal as a recognition of his progress over four years.
Additionally, Joep Wennemars of the Netherlands, initially performing well, was granted a re-skate after being impeded during his pair race but was unable to replicate his original time and finished fifth. Wennemars expressed disappointment but appreciated the crowd’s support.
