Jordan Stolz takes 1500m silver at Olympics behind Ning Zhongyan - ESPN
ESPN
February 19, 2026
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American speedskater Jordan Stolz secured a silver medal in the 1,500-meter race at the Milan Cortina Olympics after being narrowly defeated by China's Ning Zhongyan. Stolz, who had won golds in the 500m and 1,000m events earlier in the Games, was aiming for a third gold medal but fell short by 0.77 seconds. Zhongyan claimed victory in an Olympic-record time of 1 minute, 41.98 seconds, marking China's third-ever gold medal in speedskating and his own third medal at these Olympics.
Stolz entered the race as the favorite, with odds of -500 at DraftKings Sportbook, while Zhongyan was listed at +250. Despite Stolz's dominance in recent years—two-time world champion in 500m, 1,000m, and 1,500m, plus holder of the world record in the 1,000—he faced stiff competition from Zhongyan. The Chinese skater celebrated exuberantly after the win, waving a flag during his victory lap.
The race also saw Dutch skater Kjeld Nuis claim bronze, finishing just 0.07 seconds behind Stolz. Nuis had previously won the 1,500m event at both the 2018 and 2022 Olympics and holds the world record in the event. Stolz's silver medal brought his total medal count to two golds and one silver, capping a partially successful Games for the young skater from Wisconsin. His quest for three gold medals fell just short, leaving him with high hopes for Saturday's mass start race.
Stolz had set Olympic records in the 500m and 1,000m events earlier in the Games, making him the second man since 1980 to achieve this double. His performance has solidified his status as one of the greatest speedskaters of all time. Despite not achieving his goal of three gold medals, Stolz reflected on his Olympics as a "partial
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Originally published on ESPN on 2/19/2026