After winning two Olympic gold medals, American speed skater Jordan Stolz opted not to return home immediately or participate in popular talk shows, choosing instead to focus on preparing for the final tournaments of the season in Sneek, Netherlands.
Schaatsen.nl, a Dutch news outlet, reports on Stolz’s plans and preparations ahead of the concluding competitions of the season.
Stolz spent the last one and a half weeks resting in a hotel in Sneek, appreciating the hospitality and local cuisine, particularly the schnitzels served there. Observers at Thialf arena noted that Stolz appeared refreshed and ready to pursue new goals despite the demands of his recent Olympic success.
The 21-year-old highlighted the growing anticipation for the weekend’s events, where he aims to win both the sprint and allround titles. Achieving this feat would place him alongside notable American speed skaters Eric Heiden and Shani Davis, the only athletes to have held both titles historically. Stolz expressed that he welcomes comparisons to Heiden and embraces this challenge as part of his athletic journey.
Eric Heiden, renowned for winning five Olympic golds in 1980, was consecutively world champion in both allround and sprint between 1977 and 1979, with continued sprint success in 1980. Shani Davis also won both the allround and sprint world championships, achieving these in different years. However, neither skater accomplished winning both titles within the span of four days, as the tournaments were scheduled separately during their careers.
Having already secured gold at the 2024 World Allround Championships, Stolz stands as a candidate to make history by winning both major tournaments in close succession. Although the Olympic champion in the 500 and 1000 meters has yet to claim a sprint title, his past placements include fourth place in 2022. In prior seasons, Stolz has chosen to focus on the allround competition instead of the sprint, demonstrating a strategic approach to his career development.
