MILAN — Jordan Stolz’s Olympic journey came to a challenging close as he competed in the mass start speedskating event, where he fell short of securing his fourth medal. The American speedskating star faced an uphill battle in a race notorious for its chaos and unpredictability.
Dutch skater Jorrit Bergsma clinched the gold, while Denmark’s Viktor Hald Thorup took silver, breaking away from the pack early on in the 16-lap race. Their lead grew to 20 seconds as they exploited the slower pace of others, aiming to conserve energy for a final push. Stolz, looking to make his move with fewer than three laps remaining, found himself too far behind the leaders and was essentially racing only for third place. Bergsma completed the race with a time of 7:55.50, finishing nearly five seconds ahead of Thorup. Italy’s Andrea Giovannini outran Stolz to claim bronze, both finishing approximately nine seconds after the winner.
Reflecting on his race strategy, Stolz expressed, “If I would have done that, I would have had no legs left at the end of the race.” Throughout the middle section, he remained at the front of the chasing group, hoping others would help push the pace. However, he was disappointed that fellow competitors didn’t seem to share the urgency to catch the leaders. “I actually didn’t expect this to happen,” Stolz noted, indicating his surprise at the lack of initiative among medal contenders.
Had Stolz clinched victory in the mass start, he would have made history as the first man since Norway’s Johann Olav Koss to leave the Olympics with three gold medals in long-track speedskating, already securing gold in the 500 and 1,000 meters, alongside a silver in the 1,500.
The mass start race format diverges from the traditional long track speedskating events, requiring athletes to compete directly against one another rather than against the clock. This race demands strategic energy conservation and careful maneuvering, akin to tactics used in cycling.
Despite the setbacks, Stolz remains positive about his Olympic experience. He has made significant strides since being inspired by Apolo Anton Ohno during the Vancouver Games 16 years ago, progressing from skating on his family’s backyard pond to becoming a notable competitor on the world stage. “There are things that could have gone better,” Stolz reflected, “but two golds and a silver? You’ve gotta be pretty happy with that.”
His resilience and determination highlight a promising future in speedskating, as he moves forward from these Olympics with immense achievements under his belt.