Speed skating star Leerdam wins gold as fiance Paul weepsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jutta Leerdam won the Netherlands’ first gold of the 2026 Winter OlympicsByEmma SmithBBC Sport journalist in MilanPublished10 February 2026, 11:30 GMTUpdated 32 minutes agoAs Jutta Leerdam secured her Olympic gold medal, the tears flowed and stained her face with eyeliner. The only person crying nearly as much was her fiance in the crowd.Boxer-influencer Jake Paul and Leerdam have been engaged since last year.And he was in the second row of the stands in the temporary speed skating arena at Rho Fiera exhibition centre in north Milan to watch the 27-year-old win the women’s 1000m gold.Leerdam, pipped into silver at Beijing 2022, claimed the gold in a new Olympic record time.It provides a perfect ending to a frenetic few months for Leerdam, who had to rely on a discretionary place at Milan-Cortina 2026 having crashed in qualifying.Afterwards Leerdam paid tribute to Paul and her family, who she reported had provided support that she had struggled to reciprocate.”I’ve been supportive, but I’ve not been able to go to his [Paul’s] past fights because of skating. It would be nice to be there more,” she reported. “He has supported me a lot more and has come to many of my races, so I’m very grateful.”Also, my family – I’m just so grateful for the support system around me. It’s amazing.”Jake Paul and social media aside, Leerdam is a star in her own right.She is now a speed skating Olympic champion, adding to her two world titles and three European championships in the 1000m, in addition to the Beijing silver.Day-by-day guide to the Winter Olympics
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