Olympic athletes and legal battles dominated the headlines on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, with news ranging from record-breaking performances on the ice to courtroom disputes and conservation efforts. U.S. speedskater Jordan Stolz set a new Olympic record in the 1,000-meter competition, while elsewhere, actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni failed to reach a settlement in their sexual harassment lawsuit. Additionally, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) warned a Ukrainian athlete about wearing a helmet commemorating athletes killed in the war with Russia, and conservationists celebrated the successful GPS-collaring of a rare Sierra Nevada red fox.
At the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, 21-year-old Jordan Stolz, already a seven-time world champion, faced intense pressure in the 1,000-meter race. According to Time, Stolz sensed he was losing time to his rival, Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, but ultimately prevailed. The Holland-heavy crowd, with perhaps 90% wearing Dutch orange, created a frenzy. Stolz, who is also the world-record holder in the 1,000, admitted he was nervous at that moment, but his "killer instinct on the ice" helped him secure the win.
Meanwhile, in a New York federal court, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni failed to reach a deal in their court-mandated mediation regarding a sexual harassment lawsuit. The co-stars of "It Ends With Us" spent the day in separate courtrooms, according to Variety. The details of the lawsuit and the reasons for the failed mediation were not immediately available.
The IOC also addressed the issue of political expression at the Olympics. Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who served as Ukraine's flag-bearer, has been wearing a helmet commemorating athletes killed in the war with Russia. The IOC considers this a violation of its ban on political speech. According to Time, the IOC warned that there could be consequences if Heraskevych continues to wear the helmet, stating, "Its not the message, its the place that counts."
In other news, conservationists celebrated a major victory with the successful GPS-collaring of a Sierra Nevada red fox. The elusive fox, one of the nation's rarest and most critically threatened mammals, with fewer than 50 believed to remain, was collared and released back into the region. This marks a significant step in conservation efforts, as reported by Phys.org.
Finally, 22-year-old Olympic skier Eileen Gu, a freestyle skier with four Olympic medals, is juggling her athletic career with her studies at Stanford University. According to Fortune, Gu is on leave for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. She earned $23.1 million last year, making her the fourth-highest-paid woman in sports. Gu encourages young people to pursue their goals, stating, "You can do it all now."
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