Jordan Stolz Sets Olympic Record, Wins 500m to Add Second Gold
Stolz, 21, set an Olympic-record 33.77 to win the 500m on Feb. 14, joining Eric Heiden as the only men to win the 500-1,000 double at one Olympics.
Overview
Jordan Stolz, 21, won the men’s 500 meters in an Olympic-record 33.77 seconds on Feb. 14, giving him his second gold at the Milan Cortina Games.
The victory followed his Feb. 11 1,000-meter win and made him, with Eric Heiden, the only men to complete the 500-1,000 double at one Olympics.
Heiden was in the stands and hugged Stolz after the race, coach Bob Corby had advised Stolz beforehand, and Jenning de Boo said the 500 left him with a "bitter taste."
Stolz beat Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands by 0.11 seconds (33.88) and Canada’s Laurent Dubreuil took bronze in 34.26, with all podium times under the previous Olympic record of 34.32.
Stolz is entered in the 1,500 meters on Feb. 19 and the mass start on Feb. 21 and would need wins in those races to reach four Olympic golds.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Stolz's victories as a historic ascent toward legendhood, using celebratory language, record-focused leads, and repeated Heiden comparisons. Editorial choices foreground Olympic records, future medal chase, and laudatory quotes (source content) while sidelining critical context. Examples: 'left the skating world agog', 'greatest speed skater' headline, early Olympic-record emphasis.
Sources (10)
FAQ
Stolz has strong prospects for four golds. He is expected to win the 1,500m on Feb. 19, and if successful there, a victory in the Feb. 21 mass start would give him four gold medals[1]. However, these are still races that must be competed and won, so while he is the favorite, victory is not guaranteed.
Stolz's Olympic record time of 33.77 seconds is the fastest-ever 500m at sea level[1]. However, the world record of 33.61 seconds, set by Russia's Pavel Kulizhnikov in 2019, was achieved at altitude during a World Cup Final in Salt Lake City[1]. This means Stolz's time, while Olympic-record-breaking, is still 0.16 seconds slower than the world record.
Before Stolz's victories, only Eric Heiden had achieved the 500-1,000 double at a single Winter Olympics[1]. Bonnie Blair also doubled in these distances, though she competed in the women's events[1]. Heiden's record of five gold medals in a single Olympics remains unmatched in men's speedskating.
The 500m was decided by a narrow margin. Stolz won with a time of 33.77 seconds, finishing just 0.11 seconds ahead of Netherlands' Jenning de Boo, who clocked 33.88 seconds[1]. Canada's Laurent Dubreuil took bronze with a time of 34.26 seconds[1], showing that Stolz's victory was competitive but decisive.
History
6 sources