MILAN - Day 5 of the Winter Olympics delivered one of the strangest gold medal moments of the Games - and it belonged to Jordan Stolz.
The 21-year-old American speedskating phenom captured his first Olympic gold medal in the men's 1,000 meters, setting an Olympic record time of 1:06.28. But instead of an immediate celebration, Stolz had to wait - and wait - before his victory was officially sealed.
An Olympic Record... and an Unexpected Delay
After edging Dutch rival Jenning de Boo by a fraction of a second, Stolz appeared to have secured the top spot on the podium. The scoreboard confirmed the record. The crowd buzzed. Team USA supporters began to rise.
Then officials announced something no one expected.
Dutch skater Joep Wennemars had been interfered with earlier in the competition and was granted a rare solo re-skate. That meant Stolz's gold medal wasn't official - yet.
So the newly crowned Olympic record holder sat quietly on the infield curb, thousands of orange-clad Dutch fans surrounding him, and waited 15 tense minutes to see if anyone could top his time.
"I didn't think he would beat my time," Stolz later said calmly.
He was right.
Wennemars, skating the 1,000 meters for the second time that evening, finished fifth. And just like that, the gold was finally, unquestionably Stolz's.
The Sound No One Wants to Hear
For de Boo, the race turned in the final 200 meters - a moment that has become all too familiar.
"You hear his skates coming and it's pretty creepy," de Boo admitted. "That feeling when you know he is coming - it's not a nice feeling."
Stolz's closing speed has become his signature. Since the 2023-24 season, he has dominated nearly every 1,000-meter race he's entered. When the blades start churning behind competitors, the outcome is often inevitable.
"I knew that last lap was my strong point," Stolz said. "I just tried as hard as I could."
That final surge delivered Olympic history.
A Gold Medal - and More to Come?
The victory relieves some pressure - but it may only be the beginning.
Stolz is still scheduled to compete in:
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The 500 meters
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The 1,500 meters
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The mass start
He entered Milan with hopes of winning four gold medals. Now he has one - and momentum is firmly on his side.
"There's a little bit less pressure now that I've got one," Stolz said with a smile. "Just having one means a lot."
Day 5 will be remembered not only for the Olympic record, but for the unusual suspense that followed it. In the end, the chaos only underscored what many already believe:
Jordan Stolz isn't just winning races - he's ushering in a new era of American speedskating dominance.
And if this strange first gold is any indication, the rest of these Games could get even more unforgettable.
