Jordan Stolz narrowly missed a third gold at the Milan-Cortina Olympics on Thursday, settling for silver in the men’s 1,500 meters as China’s Ning Zhongyan took top honors. The result ends Stolz’s bid to join the rare company of Americans who have won three golds at a single Winter Games — a milestone last reached by Eric Heiden in 1980.
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The 21-year-old American needed an Olympic-record performance to claim victory but crossed the line just behind Zhongyan, finishing in 1:42.75. Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands, the two-time defending Olympic champion at 1,500 meters, completed the podium in third.
How the race unfolded
The contest produced one of the fastest 1,500-meter fields in recent Olympic history. Early in the program, Joep Weenemars reset the Olympic standard in his pairing, only to see that mark bettered moments later.
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Both Ning Zhongyan and Kjeld Nuis surpassed the new benchmark, and when Stolz skated in the final heat the pressure was at its peak. In total, four skaters eclipsed the previous Olympic record at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, underscoring how quickly the event’s margins shrank.
| Place | Athlete | Nation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ning Zhongyan | China | — |
| 2 | Jordan Stolz | United States | 1:42.75 |
| 3 | Kjeld Nuis | Netherlands | — |
- Stolz captured his third medal of these Games; he previously won gold in the 500 m and the 1,000 m, setting Olympic records in both events.
- The men’s 1,500 final saw multiple athletes beat the former Olympic record, highlighting a notably deep field.
- By earning silver, Stolz missed the chance to become the second American to claim at least three Olympic golds at a single Winter Games, a feat achieved by Eric Heiden (five golds in 1980).
- Stolz still has one event left at Milan-Cortina: the men’s mass start, scheduled for Saturday.
Stolz’s rise has been dramatic. At the 2022 Beijing Games he finished outside the top 10 in both the 500 and 1,000 meters (13th and 14th, respectively). In Milan-Cortina he has transformed into a consistent medal threat across sprint and middle distances.
For the sport, Thursday’s results point to greater parity: national boundaries are less predictive of podiums, and small time differences now decide medals. For Stolz and the U.S. program, the remaining mass-start race offers a final chance to add to an already breakout Olympics.
Michael Brown is a seasoned sports journalist bringing years of experience covering professional athletics and sporting culture. With a keen eye for breaking stories and player dynamics, this veteran journalist delivers in-depth analysis and exclusive insights from the world’s biggest sporting events. His passion for the game shines through in every story, keeping fans connected to the action both on and off the field.