1,000 metres, Men

The heavy favourite for the 1,000 m was the USA’s Jordan Stolz. The American had already competed in Beijing as a 17-year-old, and since then he had dominated the sport. In both 2023 and 2024 he had won gold medals at the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 m at the World Championships. In 2025 he again won three medals, but due an illness shortly before the Worlds, none of these were gold. The 2025/2026 saw him back at the usual level, winning all five World Cup races. There were several other medal contenders, but none of them were expected to be able to beat Stolz: 2025 World Champion Joep Wennemars, 2024 runner-up Ning Zhongyan, 2025 runner-up Jenning de Boo. Defending champion Thomas Krol had retired after the Olympics, but 2018 champion Kjeld Nuis had managed to qualify for the Games.

Going into the ice preparation break, the leading time was held by Italy’s Daniele Di Stefano, who had clocked 1:08.17. Nuis bettered that in pair 10, with a decent 1:07.65. In the 11th pair, Wennemars seemed en route to easily better that time, but in the final crossing straight he was severely obstructed by China’s Lian Ziwen. Wennemars nearly fell but eventually completed the race in 1:07.58 – still the leading time, but he was clearly distraught and vented his frustrations with Lian. The Chinese skater was disqualified, while Wennemars was warned for his unsportsmanlike conduct. When emotions had settled, the 2024 World Sprint Champion Ning bettered Wennemars’ time to take the lead in 1:07:34.

Pair 14 saw Stolz race de Boo, formerly a short track skater at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games. The Dutchman set the fastest times after 200 and 600 m, but then Stolz showed his class by an excellent final lap, overtaking the lead and finishing in 1:06.28, with De Boo half a second behind (1:06.78). Both skaters bettered the 24-year-old Olympic record still held by Gerard van Velde, who was also on the ice as de Boo’s coach. In the last race, Damian Żurek, second in the 1,000 m World Cup standings, was ahead of both Ning and Stolz, but he faded in the final lap to come in fourth (1:07.41). The race wasn’t over yet as Wennemars and Piotr Michalski were allowed a re-skate, although only the Dutchman made use of this. Wennemars was hoping to equal his father’s 2006 performance, when Erben Wennemars won a bronze. But, half an hour after his initial race, Joep Wennemars was unable to come close to his first race (1:08.46).

This was the sixth gold for the United States in the 1,000 m, one more than the Netherlands, and the first since 2010 (Shani Davis). De Boo’s silver was the 10th medal for the Netherlands in the event, one more than the United States. By contrast, Ning’s bronze was the first ever for China in the event. Spain’s Daniel Milagros became his country’s first ever speed skater at the Olympic Games, although he was the last finisher in the race (27th).