When Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam crossed the finish line to win Olympic gold in the women’s 1000m, the reaction in the stands was almost as emotional as the moment on the ice. Watching from the back row was her fiance Jake Paul, who broke down in tears as she upgraded her Beijing 2022 silver to gold in record time.
Paul, sitting next to his mother Pam and Leerdam’s mother Monique, was visibly devastated when the result appeared on the board. Within minutes, he shared a video of himself crying, writing: “I’m SO PROUD OF YOU @juttaleerdam.” The clip was captioned: “My kid just set an Olympic world record.”
Another column followed and lifted Leerdam as she stood with the gold medal. “We just witnessed one of the greatest sports moments of all time. The doctor will tell. Words can’t describe how proud I am of you,” he wrote.
Leerdam herself seemed overwhelmed by this success. “OLYMPIC 1000 METERS CHAMPION!!!!!! I can’t believe it!!!” she published. Paul replied simply, “She’s still crying.”
More than a viral moment
While Paul’s emotional reaction quickly went viral, the result represents a defining chapter in Leerdam’s career. The 27-year-old narrowly missed out on gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, settling for silver at the same event. Her victory this time not only brought redemption, but also came in a new Olympic record time.
Leerdam’s resume goes far beyond one race. Before that, she won two world titles and three European championships in the 1000 and established herself as one of the dominant figures in women’s speed skating.
Her public profile increased in 2023 after she started dating Paul, whose journey from YouTube personality to professional boxer kept him in the global headlines. Last year he was beaten by former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. Despite their different sporting worlds, the couple have maintained a long-distance relationship – Paul is based in the United States and Leerdam trains in the Netherlands, the BBC reports.
Gratitude and support
After her victory, Leerdam acknowledged the personal sacrifices behind elite sport. Speaking about Paul and her family, she said: “I supported him, but I couldn’t go to his (Paul’s) past games because of skating. It would have been nice to be there more. He supported me a lot more and came to many of my races, so I’m very grateful to him.
“My family too – I’m so thankful for the support system around me. It’s amazing.”
(tagsToToTranslats)Jutta Learning Olympic God