Biography Flash: Jordan Stolz - Speed Skating Prodigy Chasing Olympic Glory cover art

Biography Flash: Jordan Stolz - Speed Skating Prodigy Chasing Olympic Glory

Biography Flash: Jordan Stolz - Speed Skating Prodigy Chasing Olympic Glory

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 Jordan Stolz has been making considerable waves in international speed skating as the countdown to the February 2026 Winter Olympics heats up. Just this week, Dutch journalist Thijs Niemantsverdriet visited the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee to profile Stolz, calling him not just a speed skating prodigy but a global phenomenon. In the Netherlands, where speed skating is closer to national religion than pastime, Stolz’s rapid rise is being watched with a mixture of awe and competitive curiosity. Niemantsverdriet recounted how Dutch TV recently showed Stolz’s humble Wisconsin origins the pond at his parents’ house where he learned to skate. Stories like these are feeding a wider narrative about Stolz as the modest outsider challenging a sport long ruled by the Dutch sporting establishment. The Dutch – accustomed to seeing their own skaters dominate – now see Stolz as the main candidate to win multiple medals at the Milan Olympics, and journalists admit he is likely more famous in Holland than the U.S.

Stolz himself has welcomed the attention, but it hasn’t yet changed his life stateside. He continues to shop for groceries unnoticed in Wisconsin, even as his face appears on European sports pages and TV. Americans are only starting to appreciate the scope of his talent. At just 21, he already holds world records in the 500, 1000, and 1500 meter events. According to NBC Sports, this will be his second Olympics following his breakout 2022 appearance in Beijing, where he became the third-youngest American male competitor in long track speed skating.

In business news, tickets for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials—where Stolz will try to qualify for Milan—just went on sale. The trials will run January 2-5, 2026, at the Pettit National Ice Center, his home training venue. Organizers expect a sold-out crowd and are promoting Stolz as the star attraction, reflecting his status as a medal favorite and 7-time World Champion. Stolz commented that having friends and family there this time would be “amazing,” emphasizing the difference between the pandemic-restricted atmosphere of the last trials and the upcoming one.

On social media, Stolz’s story is seeing renewed traction among European skating fans, with videos and articles circulating showing his training sessions and European journalists eager to visit his Wisconsin roots. As far as can be verified, no negative stories, injuries, or controversies have surfaced in the past 24 hours.

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