Speed skater Jutta Leerdam secured gold for the Netherlands this evening (9 February), setting a new Olympic record in the women’s 1,000 metres as her fiancé Jake Paul watched from the stands.

Leerdam clocked an outstanding 1:12.31, breaking the Olympic record and sealing the top spot on the podium. Cameras quickly caught Paul bursting into tears, visibly overwhelmed with pride.

The 27-year-old athlete had previously won silver at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. This time, Japan’s Miho Takagi finished with bronze on 1:13.95, while Dutch teammate Femke Kok claimed silver in 1:12.59.

Kok’s time had briefly set the Olympic record earlier in the event, adding pressure for Leerdam in her race. Leerdam rose to the challenge, delivering a flawless skate to reclaim the record moments later.

Wrapped in a Dutch scarf, Paul watched closely as Leerdam crossed the finish line. She was seen wiping away tears before skating toward the sideboards to blow him a kiss and form a heart with her hands.

The couple went Instagram official in April 2023 after Paul invited the world champion onto his podcast. Leerdam later admitted she never expected to date him and said he was very different from her initial impression.

Paul proposed in March last year during a trip to St Lucia, with the pair announcing their engagement in a joint post, saying they “can’t wait to spend forever together.”

With a strong Olympic résumé, a European title, and multiple World Cup medals this season, Leerdam entered the 1,000 metres as a favourite—and delivered on the biggest stage.