Ning Defeats Top Favorite Stolz to Win Gold in 1500m Speed Skating at Milan Cortina 2026

Zhongyan Ning secured the gold medal in the men’s 1500 meters speed skating event at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, defeating favorite Jordan Stolz, with Kjeld Nuis taking bronze.

The competition attracted wide attention, particularly focused on Jordan Stolz, who was considered the top contender for the 1500 meters. The Netherlands entered the race with multiple strong skaters, including Kjeld Nuis, Joep Wennemars, and Tijmen Snel. Early heats featured solid performances from various athletes, with South Korean Jae-Won Chung setting an initial leading time of 1:45.80, which was later surpassed by Vladimir Semirunniy with 1:45.37. Hungarian skater Min-Seok Kim improved the benchmark further to 1:45.13.

Joep Wennemars then took to the ice for the 11th heat, delivering a remarkable performance with a time of 1:43.05, breaking the existing Olympic record. Despite his effort, the competition was far from over as Ning Zhongyan and Kjeld Nuis, skating in subsequent heats, both finished below Wennemars’ newly set Olympic record. Ning clocked 1:41.98 to claim the top position, while Nuis finished just behind with 1:42.82, placing them first and second at that point.

Finally, in the last heat, Jordan Stolz, the favorite, skated below expectations. He fell behind midway through the race, positioned fourth at the 1100-meter mark. Although Stolz recovered some ground during the final lap to secure the silver medal, Ning’s time held firm as the gold-winning mark. Kjeld Nuis completed the podium narrowly behind Stolz, earning the bronze medal by a margin of just 0.07 seconds. Post-race, Ning expressed disbelief at his unexpected Olympic title.

This event was broadcast live by Eurosport and HBO Max during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, offering comprehensive coverage including live commentary, analysis, and athlete insights.

Source: Eurosport Netherlands