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American Speedskater Jordan Stolz Claims Silver in 1,500m, Narrowly Missing Third Gold
Milan, Italy – American speedskating sensation Jordan Stolz added a silver medal to his impressive collection at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Thursday, placing second in the 1,500 meters. The 21-year-old from Wisconsin, who had already secured two gold medals in the 500m and 1,000m events, fell short of a historic third gold, losing to China’s Zhongyan Ning.
Ning delivered a stellar performance, setting a new Olympic record with a time of 1 minute, 41.98 seconds. Stolz, competing in the final heat of the day, finished just 0.77 seconds behind Ning’s record-breaking pace.
The race was a hard-fought battle, with Ning’s victory sparking jubilant celebrations among the Chinese team, who watched as he draped a flag around himself for a triumphant lap. Stolz, after seeing his time displayed, momentarily bowed his head in disappointment, a testament to his high expectations for the event.
Despite not clinching the gold, Stolz’s performance remains remarkable. He now possesses two golds and a silver from these Winter Games, with one final race, the mass start, scheduled for Saturday.
His earlier Olympic record-setting wins in the 500m and 1,000m had positioned him to potentially become the first male speedskater since Norway’s Johann Olav Koss in 1994 to win three golds at a single Games. Only two long track speedskaters in history, Eric Heiden (1980) and Lidiya Skoblikova (1964), have won at least four golds at one Games.
Ning’s gold in the 1,500m marks his third medal at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, having previously earned bronzes in the 1,000m and the team pursuit. Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands, a two-time Olympic champion in the 1,500m and world record holder, secured the bronze medal, finishing a mere 0.07 seconds behind Stolz.
Stolz entered the race as a strong favorite, having dominated the distance in recent years and holding multiple world championships in the 500m, 1,000m, and 1,500m, along with the world record in the 1,000m. Prior to Thursday’s race, Stolz had reflected on his Olympic journey, stating, “It’s a success, but it’s more so of a partial success if I don’t win the 1,500, just because I’ve been so good in that distance for so long. So I hope I can win that one.”
His consistent excellence has earned him high praise, with Canada’s Laurent Dubreuil, who took bronze behind Stolz in the 500m, calling him “the greatest speedskater of all-time.” Stolz’s two gold medals were widely anticipated, cementing his status as a leading figure in the sport.