Jordan Stolz of the United States won gold in the men's 1,000-meter speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Wednesday, February 11, opening his bid to win four gold medals. The victory came as Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych faced potential disciplinary action for wearing a helmet commemorating athletes killed in the war with Russia, according to Time.
Stolz, who had dreamed of this moment since he was five years old, when he first learned to skate on a frozen pond in his Wisconsin backyard, was competing at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium oval. He was up against Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, and the crowd, which was largely comprised of Dutch fans, was in a frenzy, according to Time. Stolz, already a seven-time world champion at the age of 21 and the world-record holder in the 1,000, admitted he was nervous at that moment, according to Time.
Heraskevych, who served as Ukraine's flag-bearer during the opening ceremony, has been wearing his remembrance helmet in training, despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) barring him from doing so, according to Time. The IOC ruled the helmet a violation of the Olympic Charter's ban on political speech. At a Wednesday press conference, the IOC warned that there could be consequences if Heraskevych continued to wear it. "He can, and we would encourage him, to express his grief, but in the end let me be clear. It's not the message, it's the place that counts," according to Time.
The victory for Stolz was a significant moment, as he hoped to put speedskating back in the American consciousness, according to Time. The Associated Press reported that Stolz's win was a culmination of a lifelong dream.
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