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Jordan Stolz gets another shot at a 3rd Olympic speedskating gold medal on Saturday
| USA | sports | ✓ Verified - abcnews.com

Jordan Stolz gets another shot at a 3rd Olympic speedskating gold medal on Saturday

#Jordan Stolz #speedskating #Olympic gold medal #mass start #Milan Cortina 2026 #long track speedskating #Johann Olav Koss #Eric Heiden

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Jordan Stolz can become the first man in 32 years to win three Olympic gold medals in long track speedskating
  • He has already won gold in 500m and 1000m, plus silver in 1500m at the Milan Cortina Games
  • The mass start event is unpredictable, with all skaters racing together for 16 laps
  • The last male speedskater to achieve three golds was Johann Olav Koss in 1994

📖 Full Retelling

Jordan Stolz, the 21-year-old speedskater from Wisconsin, will compete in the men's mass start event at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Saturday, February 21, 2026, with an opportunity to become the first man in 32 years to win three gold medals in long track speedskating at a single Games. Stolz has already demonstrated exceptional performance at these Olympics, securing gold medals in the 500 meters and 1,000 meters events, along with a silver in the 1,500 meters. If he claims gold in the mass start, he would join an elite group of speedskaters who have dominated multiple events at a single Olympics. The last male speedskater to achieve three golds was Norway's Johann Olav Koss at the 1994 Lillehammer Games, while American Eric Heiden won an unprecedented five golds at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. Soviet skater Lidiya Skoblikova remains the only athlete with more than three golds in women's speedskating, having claimed four titles in 1964. The mass start event presents a different challenge than traditional speedskating competitions. Unlike races against the clock, all competitors line up together and complete 16 laps (6,400 meters) simultaneously, creating opportunities for strategic positioning, jostling, and unpredictable outcomes. 'The mass start is just kind of a tossup,' Stolz acknowledged. 'It's more like a bonus. It's so hard to say what's going to happen in that.' Canadian speedskater Valerie Maltais, who has already won gold in team pursuit and bronzes in the 1,500 and 3,000 at these Games, described the event as 'anyone's race' where 'the smartest' athlete rather than the strongest will prevail, requiring patience, boldness, and adaptability to the chaos of the pack.

🏷️ Themes

Olympic achievement, Speedskating excellence, Historical milestones

📚 Related People & Topics

Olympic medal

Olympic medal

Award given to successful competitors at one of the Olympic Games

An Olympic medal is awarded to successful competitors at one of the Olympic Games. There are three classes of medal to be won: gold, silver, and bronze, awarded to first, second, and third place, respectively. The granting of awards is laid out in detail in the Olympic protocols.

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Eric Heiden

Eric Heiden

American speed skater (born 1958)

Eric Arthur Heiden (born June 14, 1958) is an American physician and a former long track speed skater, road cyclist and track cyclist. At the 1980 Winter Olympics, Heiden was the most successful athlete, setting four Olympic records, one world record, and winning an unprecedented five individual gol...

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Jordan Stolz

Jordan Stolz

American speed skater (born 2004)

Jordan Stolz (born May 21, 2004), also known as The Milwaukee Missile, is an American long-track speed skater and Olympic gold medalist. At the 2023 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships, Stolz won the 500 meters to become the youngest single distance world champion in history. He also ...

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Johann Olav Koss

Johann Olav Koss

Norwegian speed skater (born 1968)

Johann Olav Koss (born 29 October 1968) is a former speed skater from Norway. He won four Olympic gold medals, including three at the 1994 Winter Olympics in his home country.

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Entity Intersection Graph

Connections for Olympic medal:

🌐 Winter Olympic Games 7 shared
🌐 United States national team 5 shared
👤 State of the Union 4 shared
👤 Elana Meyers Taylor 4 shared
👤 Connor Hellebuyck 3 shared
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Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

Jordan Stolz’s chance to win a third gold would make him the first man in 32 years to finish a Winter Games with three long‑track speedskating golds, highlighting his exceptional talent and the historic significance for U.S. speedskating.

Context & Background

  • He has already won 500m and 1000m golds and a 1500m silver at Milan Cortina Games
  • The mass‑start event is unpredictable and involves all skaters racing together
  • The last male to win three golds in a single Games was Johann Olav Koss in 1994

What Happens Next

The mass‑start semifinals will start at 3 p.m. local time on Saturday, followed by the finals later that day. If Stolz wins, he will join a short list of athletes who have captured three golds in one Winter Olympics, potentially altering the U.S. speedskating legacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the mass‑start event?

It is a 16‑lap race where all competitors start together, making positioning and tactics crucial.

Who are the other U.S. competitors in the mass‑start?

Ethan Cepuran is the other male skater, while Mia Manganello and Greta Myers are the U.S. women in the event.

Original Source
Jordan Stolz gets another shot at a 3rd Olympic speedskating gold medal on Saturday Jordan Stolz still can become the first man in 32 years to leave an Olympics with three gold medals in long track speedskating By HOWARD FENDRICH AP national writer February 21, 2026, 5:38 AM MILAN -- MILAN — Jordan Stolz still can become the first man in 32 years to leave an Olympics with three gold medals in long track speedskating . Heading into the women's and men's mass start events that wrap up the sport's competition at the Milan Cortina Games on Saturday, Stolz already has won the 500 meters and 1,000 meters and added a silver in the 1,500 . After the latter result on Thursday, Stolz said: “I didn’t have it today. Not sure why.” There had been a lot of talk about whether the 21-year-old from Wisconsin might end up with a quartet of golds: He was asked questions about that at the outset of the news conferences immediately following his two victories. But going home with a trio of wins would be significant. The last male speedskater to get three golds in long track at a single Winter Games was Johann Olav Koss at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics (the Norwegian won the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000). The only two athletes with more are Eric Heiden , who went 5-for-5 for the United States at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, and Lidiya Skoblikova, who claimed four titles in women's speedskating while representing the Soviet Union in 1964. The mass start is unlike any other individual event in long track. Instead of essentially racing against the clock during two-person heats, all of the entrants line up together and do 16 laps — a total of 6,400 meters — simultaneously. That can lead to jostling and create what some skaters call random outcomes. Popular Reads Nancy Guthrie live updates: More than 1 suspect not ruled out, sheriff's office says Feb 20, 4:51 PM The mysterious Nancy Guthrie abduction: A full timeline Feb 19, 8:20 AM Nancy Guthrie case: Person released as search for 'armed indivi...
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Source

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