As far as power couples go, Jutta Leerdam and Jake Paul are slowly turning into one of sport’s most popular couples.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer and speed skater got engaged in March 2025. As Leerdam stormed to the gold medal in the 1000m speed skating event on Monday, her fiancé became visibly emotional and was brought to tears as he passionately celebrated her win.
The Dutch athlete broke the Olympic record with a time of 1:12.31 and finished ahead of compatriot Femke Kok to claim her maiden Olympic gold medal.
A Look Into Jutta Leerdam and Jake Paul’s Relationship
Paul and Leerdam have been together for close to three years now. Their relationship began when Paul sent her a DM on Instagram in 2023, asking her to appear on his podcast.
DUTCH DOMINATION. Jutta Leerdam captures GOLD in the women’s 1000m AND sets an Olympic Record! 👏 pic.twitter.com/gZoUTP2sU2
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 9, 2026
Leerdam later revealed she had her reservations when she saw Paul’s profile online, but quickly realized he was nothing like his online persona.
“What I saw online was not my type, but that’s like not Jake at all. So after one and a half weeks of me thinking it’s just friends, I was like, ‘Oh wait, there’s so much more to him,'” she said on “Paul American” on HBO Max.
As they continued talking, they formed a connection and hard-launched their relationship with an Instagram post in April 2023. Less than two years later, they decided to get engaged.
Paul frequently attends Leerdam’s races and cheers her on from the stands, while the latter is always ringside at the former’s fights.
“The relationship we have, always supporting each other to both become the best in the world in our sports,” Paul added on the same show.
“We’re in a long-distance relationship, but we really try to be there for each other in these big moments… We talk a lot about our future… I can really see us having a good big family,” Leerdam added.
Even when they cannot be together in person, Paul and Leerdam cheer each other on online and often share messages of support on social media. The Dutch athlete pulled off an adorable surprise for Paul in February 2025, telling him she had a race, only to show up at his home in Puerto Rico.
Paul’s Fiancée Leerdam Shared Gratitude For Family Support
Leerdam had to overcome several hurdles to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics. She crashed during the Olympic trials and nearly missed out on qualifying for the Milan-Cortina Games.
Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, Leerdam spoke to Olympics.com and shared her gratitude for the support she receives from Paul and her family.
“When you win, it’s the best feeling ever. My fiancé is the best, my family is amazing, and I’m really lucky,” she said.
Following her triumph in the 1000m speed skating event, Leerdam will now have her sights set on another medal in the 500m race scheduled for Feb. 15 (5:03 p.m. local time, 11:03 a.m. EST).
