Jordan Stolz seeks his 2nd speedskating gold of the Olympics within the 500 meters

MILAN (AP) — Jordan Stolz was going to attempt to win his second speedskating gold medal of the Milan Cortina Olympics on Saturday, competing within the 500 meters.

The 21-year-old from Wisconsin is coming off a victory in Wednesday’s 1,000, the primary of his 4 particular person occasions on the 2026 Winter Video games. He’s thought of a contender for gold in all 4. The boys’s file for many speedskating titles at one Olympics is the 5 for Eric Heiden at Lake Placid in 1980 — who additionally was the final man to win the five hundred and 1,000 on the identical Video games.

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The final American to win Olympic gold within the males’s 500 was Casey FitzRandolph in 2002.

Racing within the 500 was scheduled to start at 5 p.m. native time (11 a.m. ET), and Stolz was positioned within the thirteenth of the 15 two-man heats. In a captivating pairing, he was slated to skate head-to-head towards reigning 500 world champion Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, the person who was the runner-up within the 1,000. In that race, de Boo held the lead after 600 meters, earlier than Stolz roared previous him with an amazing remaining lap.

After that race, Stolz was requested whether or not there needs to be extra medals to come back.

“I hope so. I really feel like this offers you sort of a really feel of what it is going to be like. There’s somewhat bit much less strain now that I’ve acquired one gold medal,” Stolz stated. “As a result of one gold medal is large sufficient, proper? It will be tremendous good to have two, three, proper? However simply having one means lots.”

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Requested that day how he meant to prepare for the five hundred, Stolz replied: “Simply attempt to put together mentally. This was a very good prep, since you sort of know what to anticipate. I believe I needs to be good.”

He and de Boo have been the favorites within the shortest occasion in speedskating.

Stolz is a two-time world champion within the 500, in addition to the 1,000 and the 1,500, which can be contested on Thursday. He is additionally entered within the mass begin on Feb. 21.

These are the American’s second Olympics. He completed thirteenth within the 500 and 14th within the 1,000 on the 2022 Beijing Video games at age 17.

Additionally on Saturday’s speedskating schedule, earlier than the five hundred, have been the quarterfinals in ladies’s staff pursuit. That occasion’s medals can be decided Tuesday.

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics