The 2026 Winter Olympics have become the stage for Jordan Stolz’s remarkable reign. The American speed skater now boasts two gold medals, after a breathtaking performance in the men’s 500m on February 14. Stolz shattered the Olympic record with a time of 33.77 seconds, narrowly outpacing Jenning de Boo, who took silver at 33.88 seconds, while Laurent Dubreuil of Canada claimed bronze.
All About Jordan Stolz
Stolz’s first gold came in the 1000m on February 11, 2026, where he set another Olympic record at 1:06.28, winning by the widest margin seen in the event since 1984 and once again leaving de Boo in his wake. His journey to the top has been anything but smooth, as in early 2025, he battled both pneumonia and strep throat, testing his resilience long before Olympic glory.
Stolz burst onto the international scene in 2021 with his first senior U.S. title, then made waves at the 2022 Beijing Olympics as the youngest member of Team USA in the 500m and 1000m.
His star continued to rise with a trio of gold medals at the 2023 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships, cementing his place among the sport’s elite.
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The close of the 2024-25 season brought heartbreak for Stolz. After a World Cup event in Milwaukee, he was struck down by pneumonia and strep throat, forcing him into bed for six days and off the ice for two weeks as he recovered with antibiotics.
This did not deter the young star, however, as he bounced back in October 2025 to dominate at the U.S Championships, where he secured four medals overall, including three national titles in the men’s 1000m (1:07) and 1500m (1:43.37), plus both Mass Start events. He finished second in the 500m with times of 34.44 and 34.74 seconds.
Now, all eyes are on Stolz as he chases further glory in the 1500m and Mass Start events, eager to add to his growing collection of gold medals.
Stolz on His 1000m Win
Born in West Bend, Wisconsin, and raised in the quiet town of Kewaskum, Stolz laced up his first skates at age five. Inspired by legends like Apolo Ohno and Shani Davis, he soon joined the Badger Speedskating Club and set his sights on greatness.
After he grabbed his first Olympic gold in the 1000m, Stolz made his feelings known:
“There’s a little less pressure now that I’ve got one gold medal,’’ he said, as per USA Today. “The pressure was kind of rising towards this one. I could definitely feel it.”
During the conversation, Stolz also shared his ambition to chase four more gold medals. With his 500m victory, he now stands on the brink of history, aiming to become the first speed skater since the legendary Eric Heiden to claim five golds at a single Olympics.
