American Jordan Stolz's hopes of tying Eric Heiden dashed in 1500m, but his Milan Cortina Olympics remain a success

American speed skater Jordan Stolz must wait four more years to catch Eric Heiden, but that shouldn't diminish anything he's accomplished at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. 

Entering the men's 1,500 meters on Thursday, Stolz needed just two more Olympic gold medals to become the first speed skater to win four or more since Heiden at Lake Placid in 1980. That year, he won five golds. 

Asked before Thursday's race if he would consider his 2026 Winter Olympics a success if he didn't win the event, Stolz said it would be "a partial success," via Yahoo Sports' Jeff Eisenberg. 

Stolz won't be satisfied after Thursday's race, then, where he settled for the silver medal. China's Zhongyan Ning won the gold medal, clocking 1 minute 41.98 seconds, an Olympic record in 1500m. The American, meanwhile, clocked a 1:42.75. 

Heiden still stands alone, but that shouldn't leave Stolz feeling he fell short at the Olympics. His 2026 Milan Cortina Games are far from a failure.

Jordan Stolz has proved he may be the world's greatest speed skater at the Olympics

Although he didn't win Thursday's race, Stolz's peers know he's in a class of his own. 

"I think Jordan is the greatest speed skater of all time," said Canadian Laurent Dubreuil, who finished with a bronze medal behind Stolz in the 500M, per the Los Angeles Times' Thuc Nhi Nguyen. 

Stolz crushed that event. The "Milwaukee Missile" won gold in the 500m, setting an Olympic record (33.77). That came after he had already won gold and set the Olympic record in the 1000m (1:06.28). 

While he can no longer tie Heiden's mark at the 2026 Games, he can still become the first speed skater to win three Olympic golds since Norway's Johann Olav Koss at Lillehammer in 1994. Stolz skates Saturday in the men's mass start. 

Stolz, who turns 22 on May 21, will have to wait until the 2030 French Alps Olympics to chase Heiden's feat again. Until then, he should revel in his triumphs at the 2026 Games, where he more than lived up to his billing.