Jutta Leerdam wins Olympic 1000m gold as Jake Paul cheers fiancée in Milan

Jutta Leerdam delivered a statement win on the sport’s biggest stage Monday, capturing Olympic gold in the women’s 1000m speed skating and setting a new Olympic record in Milan. The victory also put her relationship with Jake Paul back in the spotlight, with Paul visibly emotional in the stands after she crossed the line.

The result reshaped the early speed skating narrative at the Winter Games: a Dutch one-two at the top, a record time, and a champion who upgraded her 2022 silver to gold.

Jutta Leerdam’s Olympic record run

Leerdam won the women’s 1000m on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, stopping the clock at 1:12.31 to set an Olympic record. The Netherlands swept the top two places, with Femke Kok taking silver in 1:12.59, while Japan’s Miho Takagi earned bronze in 1:13.95.

The race had real swing built in: Kok briefly held the Olympic record earlier in the session, then Leerdam went faster to take the title. For Leerdam, it was a clean “peak moment” performance—fast through the opening, controlled through the middle, and strong enough late to keep the record intact.

Women’s 1000m: what the podium means

The Dutch one-two matters beyond one night’s medal count. Speed skating is one of the Netherlands’ foundational Winter Olympic sports, and an early gold can set the tone for the rest of the oval program—confidence, momentum, and the pressure it puts on rivals to chase times rather than skate their own race.

Takagi’s bronze also carries weight. She arrived as a proven Olympic performer in the distance and remained close enough to underline that the margins can tighten quickly as the schedule moves on. With more medal opportunities ahead across sprint and endurance distances, Monday’s result looks less like an isolated upset and more like a marker for where the competitive ceiling sits in Milan.

Jake Paul and Jutta Leerdam: girlfriend, fiancée, and spotlight

If you’re searching “who is Jake Paul’s girlfriend” or “Jake Paul’s fiancée,” the current answer is Jutta Leerdam. They have been publicly together since 2023 and are engaged, with Paul proposing in March 2025.

Paul’s presence at the venue added a crossover layer to a straightforward sports story: the internet-famous boxer and entertainer watching his fiancée deliver the defining race of her Olympic career. After the finish, they shared an on-ice moment that circulated quickly online, reinforcing how much attention can follow elite athletes when their personal lives intersect with celebrity culture.

Who is Jake Paul?

Jake Paul is an American media personality who turned to professional boxing after building a massive online following. In boxing, his career has mixed high-profile events with a push for legitimacy in the ring, drawing outsized attention and debate wherever he fights.

Most recently, Paul fought heavyweight star Anthony Joshua in a professional bout in Miami on Dec. 19, 2025, losing by sixth-round knockout. He has said he intends to continue boxing, though his timeline depends on recovery and matchmaking.

Leerdam’s career arc and what comes next

Leerdam’s gold is the culmination of a track record that has long suggested she could win an Olympic title in this distance. She debuted at the 2022 Winter Games with a silver in the 1000m, then continued to pile up major international results in the years that followed.

What comes next is shaped by the schedule, not the headlines. Speed skating can punish emotional spikes—one great day doesn’t guarantee the next. But an Olympic record win gives Leerdam two tangible advantages going forward: proof of top-end speed under maximum pressure, and the psychological edge of having already delivered when the stakes were highest.

Key takeaways

• Leerdam won women’s 1000m gold on Feb. 9, 2026, setting an Olympic record at 1:12.31.

• The Netherlands went 1–2 with Femke Kok, while Miho Takagi took bronze.

• Jake Paul and Leerdam are engaged (proposal in March 2025), and he attended her gold-medal race.

Sources consulted: Reuters, International Skating Union, NBC Olympics, People