Netherlands' Leerdam channels expectations to win gold

VIDEO SHOWS: PRESS CONFERENCE FOR GOLD MEDALLIST SPEED SKATER JUTTA LEERDAM SHOWS: MILAN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 9, 2026) (IOC – See restrictions before use) 1. GOLD MEDALLIST SPEED SKATER JUTTA LEERDAM ARRIVING AT PRESS CONFERENCE 2. JOURNALISTS SITTING AT PRESS CONFERENCE 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) GOLD MEDALLIST SPEED SKATER JUTTA LEERDAM, SAYING:     "It was very surreal. I saw my name and I saw the green part, and I was like, that means that it's faster than the winning time. And yeah, I couldn't believe it. Very surreal." 4. VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) GOLD MEDALLIST SPEED SKATER JUTTA LEERDAM, SAYING:     "I am kind of used to it, and it does help me perform even better. So there's of course pressure from the outside, there's expectations. I did a lot of good races this year, so I was kind of also the favourite, which is not always easy going into the Olympics. So yeah, there was pressure, but yeah, I tried to like really use it to my advantage and just really let it make me even sharper than normal." 6. JOURNALIST ASKING ABOUT HER RELATIONSHIP WITH FIANCE JAKE PAUL 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) GOLD MEDALLIST SPEED SKATER JUTTA LEERDAM, SAYING:     "I've been supportive but I've not been able to go to his past fights because of skating. So it would be nice to be there more, but he has supported me a lot more even the past years and went to a lot of my races and stuff. So yeah, very grateful for that. And yeah, also my family, I'm just so grateful with my support system around me. It's amazing." 8. JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION 9. LEERDAM LEAVING PRESSER STORY: Netherlands speed skater Jutta Leerdam said the weight of expectation pushed her to deliver a "surreal" run and win the 1,000 metres gold at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Monday (February 9). The 2020 and 2023 world single-distance champion in the event, Leerdam led a Dutch one-two ahead of Femke Kok, securing the country's first medals of these Games. Japan's most decorated female Olympian, defending champion Miho Takagi, took the bronze. Competing at her second Games, the 27-year-old sprint specialist had her fiance, social-media-star-turned-prize-fighter Jake Paul, watching as she claimed her second Olympic medal after taking silver in the distance at Beijing 2022. With the Milano Speed Skating Stadium packed with a sea of orange-clad fans in full voice, Leerdam rose to the occasion. Drawn in the 15th and final pair, she started in the outer lane alongside Takagi. In 2022, Leerdam won silver behind the Japanese skater after a misstroke in the final corner. There was no repeat of that this time as she stormed to an Olympic record time. Leerdam said Paul and her family had provided support, though she had struggled to return the favour for her fiance. (Production: Mussab Al-Khairalla)

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