Jutta Leerdam. Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Jake Paul's fiancée Jutta Leerdam flies in record-setting performance at Winter Olympics

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Feb 9, 2026 6:02 PM ET

Boxer/social media influencer Jake Paul usually overshadows his fiancée, Jutta Leerdam. However, the spotlight shifted to the Dutch speed skater at the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina.

On Monday, Leerdam competed in the women's 1,000 meters against Miho Takagi of Japan, the 2022 Olympic champion. The Dutchwoman finished second behind Takagi at the Beijing Games four years ago. This time, she bested her rival.

Leerdam won the gold medal and set an Olympic record (1 minute 12.31 seconds). This came two heats after Dutch teammate Femke Kok set the previous Winter Games record (1:12.59).

Paul attended Monday's event, sitting in the second row. After the race, Leerdam blew kisses to him as tears ran down her face, smudging her makeup.

DUTCH DOMINATION. Jutta Leerdam captures GOLD in the women’s 1000m AND sets an Olympic Record! pic.twitter.com/gZoUTP2sU2
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 9, 2026

"After Femke hit the Olympic record, then SHE breaks the Olympic record," Paul said of Leerdam (h/t Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press). "Just the best thing ever."

The moment Jake Paul realized his fiancée Jutta Leerdam won gold at the Olympics pic.twitter.com/UuRyITQHMB
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 9, 2026

What else do you need to know about Jutta Leerdam?

Leerdam, 27, started skating at 11 and broke onto the speed skating scene in 2017. That year, she won the all-around and 1,500M at the World Junior Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

Since then, she has collected more awards. Leerdam's trophy case includes 12 world championship medals, including six golds.

After Monday's race, she has now won two Olympic medals (one gold, one silver). She considers the record-setting performance the greatest moment of her career.

"Everyone saw how hard of a position I had in the last pair, after a super good time. For everyone, it was surreal," she said (via Fendrich). "It feels very amazing. Just like a cherry on top of my career, basically. It's amazing. It's perfect."

Leerdam has 5.4 million Instagram followers. That's not a small following, but Paul remains more well-known. He has 28.8 million Instagram followers.

The Olympics, however, gives her more opportunities to expand her reach. Leerdam is scheduled to skate again in the 500m on Sunday at 11:03 am. ET. Paul's future wife can continue to bask in the limelight at that race.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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