02/09/26 12:17:00
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02/09 12:15 CST Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam wins women's 1,000 Olympic gold
with fianc Jake Paul in the stands
Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam wins women's 1,000 Olympic gold with fianc
Jake Paul in the stands
By HOWARD FENDRICH
AP National Writer
MILAN (AP) --- Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam claimed her first gold medal in
an Olympic-record time in the women's 1,000 meters at the Milan Cortina Games
on Monday, then stopped near the stands to blow kisses at her fianc,
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Racing in the event's final heat against defending Olympic champion Miho Takagi
of Japan, Leerdam never strayed from her steady strides, and she finished in 1
minute, 12.31 seconds in front of a raucous crowd of orange-clad fans from her
speedskating-loving nation.
That was nearly a full second faster than Takagi skated at the 2022 Beijing
Games to push Leerdam into second place that time.
Takagi wound up with the bronze this time, behind Leerdam's Dutch teammate
Femke Kok.
Brittany Bowe of the United States, the owner of the world record in the 1,000,
set back in 2019, was fourth. Another American, Erin Jackson --- who took the
Olympic gold in the 500 four years ago --- was sixth.
There have been three Olympic records in three speedskating races so far in the
temporary arena built for the Milan Cortina Games.
Leerdam will seek another medal next Sunday in the 500 meters. Her trophy case
includes 12 world championship medals, with six golds. Two of those titles
arrived in the 1,000 --- in 2020 and 2023.
She's been superb in the 1,000 this season, winning three of the four World Cup
races she entered at that distance. That included beating Kok in Germany last
month.
Paul is a 29-year-old American influencer who first gained fame for his YouTube
videos and then made his way into the world of boxing about five years ago.
Leerdam and Paul announced their engagement on Instagram last year.
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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