Mon Dec 29 11:00:00 UTC 2025: Summary:

Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam, fiancée of boxer Jake Paul, recovered from a fall in the 1000-meter event at the Olympic Qualification Tournament to finish second in the 500-meter race. While she didn’t win the 500m, her performance offers hope for qualifying for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. Femke Kok won the 500-meter race, having set a world record in November. Leerdam, a silver medalist in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, is relying on the national committee to make the final decision on her Olympic qualification. She had previously skipped a World Cup event to focus on these trials.

News Article:

Leerdam Bounces Back After Fall, Still Hopes for 2026 Olympic Berth

Heerenveen, Netherlands – Dutch speed skating star Jutta Leerdam, known for her prowess on the ice and her engagement to boxer Jake Paul, rebounded on Sunday at the Olympic Qualification Tournament after a disappointing fall earlier in the competition.

Leerdam finished second in the 500-meter race with a time of 37.242, a significant improvement after crashing in the 1,000-meter event on Friday. Femke Kok, who holds the world record in the women’s 500-meter, took first place with a time of 36.873.

“I’m skating so well in practice. What those girls are skating here, I could have easily skated today,” Leerdam told Olympics.com, expressing confidence in her abilities.

While the second-place finish keeps her Olympic dreams alive, Leerdam’s qualification for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games is not guaranteed. The Dutch national committee will make the final decision, weighing her performance at the trials alongside her overall record.

Leerdam is an Olympic silver medalist, having taken second place in the 1,000-meter race at the 2022 Beijing Games. She previously skipped the 2025 ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Hamar, Norway, to dedicate herself to the Olympic trials.

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