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International speed skaters you’ll hear about during Milano-Cortina 2026
Jordan Stolz (United States)
Could the 21-year-old American phenom replicate what Eric Heiden did 46 years ago at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics and win five gold medals? It is certainly a possibility. Over the last Olympic cycle, Stolz has dominated the 500m, 1,000 and 1,500, winning the world title in those three distances two years in a row. He likely would’ve made it three straight last year in Hamar, Norway, had it not been for pneumonia (he still landed on the podium in each of those events). While there is more competition in the 500, Stolz remains undefeated in the World Cup this season in the 1,000m and 1,500m. He also won and finished third in mass start races this year, and there is speculation he could skate the preliminary round with the American juggernaut team pursuit squad, which would qualify him for another medal should the U.S. win gold as projected.
Martina Sablikova (Czechia)
What a story. It’ll be a full circle for Sablikova as she enters her sixth Olympic Games. Turin 2006 was her first Games and these ones will be her final appearance. She has seven Olympic medals and 27 medals from the world single distance championships, including 16 gold. Even in the twilight of her career, never count her out.
Metoděj Jílek (Czechia)
In his senior level debut at last year’s world championships at age 18, Jílek took the bronze in the 10,000 metres in Hamar and finished a respectable fifth in the 5,000. Now a year older, Jílek led the World Cup long distance standings, including a phenomenal performance in the 10K at the Heerenveen World Cup stop, setting a track record at Tialf. Oh, and he also races in the mass start, winning the last World Cup of the season in Inzell, Germany. Calm in the big moments, could there be a trio of medals for a Czech skater not named Sablikova?
David Ghiotto (Italy)
A bronze medallist in the 10,000m four years ago in Beijing, Ghiotto is hoping the home crowd can propel him to gold this time around. The reigning three-time world champion at 10,000m knows there’s stiff competition in the distance events, but the 32-year-old has the engine and the veteran savvy to pull it off. He’s also a critical member of Italy’s team pursuit, who expect to contend for the podium.
Miho Tagaki (Japan)
Heading to her fourth Olympics (her first were Vancouver 2010 at age 15), Takagi is one of the most respected and accomplished skaters in the world.
She’s the most decorated female Olympic in Japanese history with seven medals, two of them gold. She’s the reigning Olympic champion at the 1000m, one of four medals she won in Beijing. Certainly a contender for three medals in Milano-Cortina – the 1000, 1500 and team pursuit.
Damian Zurek (Poland)
Zurek shot onto the international spotlight with a bronze medal in the 500m at the 2024 world single distance championships in Calgary. Since then he’s equated himself as a consistent contender in both the 500m and 1,000m distances. He comes into Milano Cortina beaming with confidence after defeating Jordan Stolz head-to-head in the second 500m in Inzell in track record time.
Femke Kok (Netherlands)
The reigning two-time world champion at 500m and current world record-holder in the distance, Kok is looking to add Olympic champion to her decorated resume. The 26-year-old is undefeated in the 500m through five World Cups this season and brimming with confidence after breaking the 12-year-old world record in Salt Lake City in November. She’s also a threat at 1,000m and maybe even the 1,500m, finishing runner-up at the Dutch Olympic trials in December.
Jutta Leerdam (Netherlands)
The 1,000m silver medallist from Beijing 2022 had a huge scare at the Dutch Olympic trials when she uncharacteristically fell in her signature event, putting her Olympic dream in jeopardy. She was given an extraordinary selection to the team in that event, so her goal of winning gold in Milano Cortina is still very much alive. A 10-time medallist at the world single distance championships, Leerdam is a huge star outside of speed skating thanks to multiple endorsement deals and her engagement to social media star, Jake Paul.
Jenning de Boo (Netherlands)
If there is a threat to Jordan Stolz in the 500m and 1,000m, put this 22-year-old in the mix. This year on World Cup, he won the 500m in Calgary and was runner-up three times in the distance to go along with two podiums in the 1,000m.
Sander Eitrem (Norway)
Eitrem had arguably the marquee performance of the World Cup season when he broke the world record in the men’s 5,000m, becoming the first athlete to ever go under six minutes, clocking an eye popping time of five minutes 58.52 seconds. The reigning world champion at 5,000m hasn’t missed the podium in that distance in the last two World Cup seasons. Eitrem will turn 24 during the Games, the day before the 10,000m, another event he could land on the podium.
Ragne Wiklund (Norway)
After a breakout gold medal in the 1,500m at the 2021 world championships, big things were expected of Wiklund at her first Olympics in Beijing. Unfortunately, the script didn’t go her way and the then 21-year-old left without a medal. Four years later, she’s at the height of her career. With four more medals at the world championships across the 1,500m, 3,000m and 5,000m, Wiklund could be a multiple medallist for Norway at these Games. Given she’s led the World Cup long distance standings for the last four years, that’s a logical assumption.