Jordan Stolz had to wait a little longer than expected on Wednesday night. But when confirmation finally came, the 21-year-old American could celebrate his first Olympic gold medal – and the opening chapter of what could become one of the defining campaigns of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
Skating in the second-to-last group, Stolz set an Olympic record time of 1min 6.28sec in the men’s 1000m on the strength of a stunning final lap, delivering in his signature event to launch his pursuit of a potential four-gold haul across these Games.
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His time ultimately stood after a brief period of uncertainty triggered by a late-race judging decision that allowed a reskate to Joep Wennemars – who had beaten Stolz at the distance at last year’s world championships – after it was ruled that the Dutch skater was hindered earlier in the competition. The delay forced Stolz, Jenning de Boo and the rest of the field to wait while officials confirmed the final standings – a wrinkle in what had otherwise looked like a decisive victory.
The crowd chanted “Joep! Joep! Joep!” as Wennemars returned to the ice, but skating alone he never threatened Stolz’s mark. When he crossed the line more than two seconds off the pace, Stolz could finally celebrate, gliding through a slow victory lap while holding the US flag aloft before posing for photos with his longtime coach, Bob Corby.
Skating head-to-head with De Boo in the penultimate heat, Stolz did not threaten his own world record of 1:05.37, but comfortably lowered the Olympic mark of 1:07.18, which had stood for 24 years.
At least 90% of the packed arena wore Dutch orange, turning the venue into a rolling wall of sound as the final heats unfolded. Stolz responded with the same controlled, clinical skating that has defined his rise over the past three seasons.
The win immediately established him as one of the central figures of these Games and kept alive the possibility of a medal run rarely seen in Winter Olympic history.