Dutch speed skating star Jutta Leerdam postponed her wedding plans to fully concentrate on her Olympic campaign — and the decision paid off in historic fashion
Leerdam, who got engaged to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in March 2025, reportedly pushed their ceremony to 2027 so she could dedicate all her energy to preparing for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The sacrifice culminated in a stunning performance, as she clocked 1:12.31 in the 1000m to break the Olympic record and claim gold.
The victory marked a major career upgrade after her silver medal in Beijing 2022, solidifying her position among the sport’s elite. Her closest challenger, fellow Dutch skater Femke Kok, finished just 0.28 seconds behind in a tightly contested race.
Jake Paul remained deeply involved throughout the event, sharing real-time updates on social media from warmups to the medal ceremony. A widely circulated clip showed him emotional in the stands moments after Leerdam crossed the finish line — a reaction fans celebrated as much as the win itself.
With this triumph, Leerdam now holds two Olympic medals in the 1000m along with six world championship gold medals across sprint disciplines. She returned to competition shortly after, eyeing another podium finish in the 500m, with Paul again cheering from the sidelines.
Her story highlights the intense focus and personal sacrifices often required at the highest level of sport — and how commitment can translate into record-breaking success.
If you want, I can tell you more about her training style, rivalry with Kok, or Olympic speed skating records.
