Friday, January 2, 2026 - Boxer and YouTuber, Jake Paul’s speed skater fiancée, Jutta Leerdam, will compete in two events at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan after making a strong comeback from a frightening fall on the ice.
The Dutch athlete crashed during the Netherlands’ qualifying
race for the 1,000m, her specialty, last week. She left the ice in tears,
raising doubts about her Olympic chances. However, the very next day, Leerdam
secured qualification for the 500m event, Daily Mail reported.
Following the fall, the 27-year-old had to wait for a
decision from the Netherlands’ selection committee on whether she would still
be allowed to compete in the 1,000m. On Thursday, she confirmed via Instagram
that she had been selected for both the 500m and 1,000m races.
Leerdam explained that only nine Dutch women could qualify
for the Games and that she earned her place through the 500m, with the skating
federation later adding her to the 1,000m lineup. She also noted that the
decision did not displace any other athlete.
Jake Paul reacted to the news in the comments, posting three
padlock emojis. He had traveled to the Netherlands to support Leerdam during
the trials, shortly after suffering a broken jaw in his boxing match with
Anthony Joshua.
After her emotional exit from the 1,000m qualifier, Paul had
told reporters that watching the fall was heartbreaking, describing the
Olympics as Leerdam’s lifelong dream. Leerdam herself had appealed to
selectors, pointing to her strong training form and past World Cup
performances.
While awaiting the final decision, Leerdam celebrated her
27th birthday, with Paul sharing photos of them together and a brief birthday
message to her on social media.
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