Milwaukee, Wisconsin — Speed skating fans were in for a treat on Friday as the ISU Speed Skating World Cup kicked off with a bang, witnessing four track records tumble in a single day!
Jordan Stolz, the 20-year-old American prodigy, thrilled the hometown crowd by blazing through the men’s 1,000-meter race in just 1:06.16, setting a new track record. Hot on his heels were Dutch skaters Jenning de Boo and Kjeld Nuis, who claimed silver and bronze respectively.
China’s rising star Lian Ziwen showed promise, finishing 12th with a respectable time of 1:08.28.
Stolz has been on fire this season, dominating the World Cup standings in the men’s 500-meter, 1,000-meter, and 1,500-meter events. His incredible speed and consistency are turning heads worldwide.
In the women’s 1,000-meter, Japan’s Miho Takagi delivered a stellar performance, grabbing gold with a time of 1:13.56. American skater and former track record holder Brittany Bowe took silver, while the Netherlands’ Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong secured the bronze medal.
The excitement didn’t stop there! Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida clinched the women’s 3,000-meter title in a nail-biting finish, clocking 3:54.73 and edging out Norway’s Ragne Wiklund by just 0.13 seconds. In the men’s 5,000-meter, Norway’s Sander Eitrem shattered his personal best and the track record with an astonishing time of 6:04.74 to seize the gold.
Yang Binyu of China delivered a strong effort in the women’s 3,000-meter, finishing 11th with a time of 4:01.63. Meanwhile, compatriot Wu Yu crossed the line 15th in the men’s 5,000-meter final.
The World Cup action in Milwaukee is just heating up! With the 500-meter and 1,500-meter titles set to be decided on Saturday, fans worldwide are eagerly anticipating more record-breaking performances.
