Dutch Speedskater Jutta Leerdam Wins Gold as Fiancé Jake Paul Cries

The internet celebrity couple's emotional reactions captivated the Olympic crowd.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam won the gold medal in the women's 1,000-meter event at the Milan Olympics, setting an Olympic record with a time of 1:12.31. Her fiancé, YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul, was visibly emotional in the stands, crying as Leerdam skated her victory lap. The couple's raw reactions were a stark contrast to their usual social media personas, highlighting the immense pressure and emotion of the Olympic stage.

Why it matters

Leerdam and Paul are two of the biggest internet celebrities in the sports world, with massive social media followings. Their emotional reactions at the Olympics humanized the couple and provided a glimpse into the intense pressure and personal stakes of competing at the highest level.

The details

Leerdam, the top-ranked woman in the 1,000-meter event, skated a powerful race, passing Japan's Miho Takagi on the second lap to set the Olympic record. As her time was posted on the scoreboard, the crowd erupted in cheers. Meanwhile, Paul, watching from the VIP section, was overcome with emotion, dabbing his eyes and sitting silently as Leerdam's family celebrated around him.

  • Leerdam set the Olympic record in the women's 1,000-meter event on Monday, February 9, 2026.
  • Leerdam won her first Olympic gold medal in the event.

The players

Jutta Leerdam

A Dutch speedskater who is one of the most famous female athletes in the Netherlands, with 5.3 million Instagram followers. She won the gold medal in the women's 1,000-meter event at the 2026 Milan Olympics, setting an Olympic record.

Jake Paul

Leerdam's fiancé, a YouTube superstar-turned-boxer. Paul was visibly emotional in the stands, crying as Leerdam skated her victory lap after winning the gold medal.

Miho Takagi

A Japanese speedskater who won the silver medal in the women's 1,000-meter event, finishing behind Leerdam.

Brittany Bowe

An American speedskater who won two bronze medals at previous Olympics and finished fourth in the women's 1,000-meter event in Milan.

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What they’re saying

“To be able to deliver like that is huge.”

— Brittany Bowe, Two-time Olympic bronze medalist (Washington Post)

“Not usually. But at the same time, he also, like, knows the pressure I felt and the buildup and everything. So, yeah, I think he's just, he's just felt everything with me.”

— Jutta Leerdam (Washington Post)

“I try to, like, really use it in my advantage and just really let it make me even sharper.”

— Jutta Leerdam (Washington Post)

What’s next

Leerdam and Paul are expected to continue their high-profile relationship and athletic careers following Leerdam's Olympic gold medal win.

The takeaway

Leerdam and Paul's emotional reactions at the Olympics showed the human side of two of the sports world's biggest internet celebrities, highlighting the immense pressure and personal stakes of competing at the highest level.