Jordan Stolz Claims Third Gold at Speed Skating World Cup in Beijing
American speed skating sensation Jordan Stolz has extended his unbeaten streak into the new season, capturing his third gold medal at the ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Beijing on Saturday. The 20-year-old dominated the men’s 1,000-meter race, finishing in a remarkable time of 1 minute and 7.62 seconds at the National Speed Skating Oval.
Fresh off his victories in the 500-meter and 1,500-meter events on Friday, Stolz faced stiff competition as all top three skaters surpassed the previous record of 1:07.92 set during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. “It was a great race,” Stolz said after the win. “I was a little tired from the 1,500-meter and 500-meter, but I trusted my endurance to get through the last lap.”
With this victory, Stolz has cemented his status as the leading male skater in short and middle-distance events, extending his winning streak to 11 races. He looks forward to Sunday’s second 500-meter race, where he aims to clinch a fourth gold medal. “I just want to stay ahead,” he remarked. “I’ll be a little fatigued, but I’ll try my best.”
China’s own Ning Zhongyan delivered an impressive performance, leading the field with a 1:07.91 finish in the seventh pair. However, he settled for the bronze medal after Stolz and the Netherlands’ Jenning de Boo, who clocked 1:07.82, edged ahead. “I’m happy to stand on the podium on home ice,” Ning shared. “A gold medal would be better, but I’m satisfied with my performance.”
In the women’s events, Japanese Olympic champion Miho Takagi added another gold to her collection, winning the women’s 1,000-meter race in 1:14.62. Dutch skaters Antoinette de Jong and Angel Daleman took silver and bronze, respectively. China’s Han Mei narrowly missed the podium by just 0.01 seconds.
Norwegian skaters also made their mark in the long-distance races. Ragne Wiklund claimed victory in the women’s 3,000-meter with a time of 4:00.10, while Sander Eitrem triumphed in the men’s 5,000-meter event, finishing in 6:09.48.
The ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Beijing concludes on Sunday, featuring six gold medals up for grabs in the men’s and women’s 500-meter, team pursuit, and mass start competitions.
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Stolz races to third gold at ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Beijing
cgtn.com
