Professional boxer Jake Paul of Cleveland, Ohio generated the spotlight in 2023. He is not only a famous boxer, YouTuber, actor, social media influencer and rapper. But the verdict is definitely out if he is a better athlete than his girlfriend, 25-year-old speed skating superstar Jutta Leerdam of ‘s-Gravenzande, Netherlands.
On Saturday at the 2024 World Speed Skating Championships in Calgary, Leerdam won the bronze medal in the women’s 1000 metres. She posted a time of 1:13.28, and beat her Dutch teammate by 0.33 seconds. Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong finished in fourth place with a time of 1:13.61. Miho Takagi of Japan won the gold medal with a time of 1:12.83. Mei Han of China won the silver medal with a time of 1:13.27.
Seventh World Championship Medal
Leerdam has won seven medals in the history of the World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships. She won gold in the team sprint in 2019 in Inzell, Germany (an event not on the Olympic program), gold in the women’s 1000 metres and team sprint in 2020 in Salt Lake City, gold in the women’s 1000 metres in Heerenveen in 2023, silver in the women’s 1000 metres in Heerenveen in 2021, and bronze in the women’s 500 metres in Heerenveen in 2023.
Olympic Silver Medalist
Leerdam also struck silver in the women’s 1000 metres at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. She posted a time of 1:13.83. Takagi was the only speed skater faster than Leerdam, as she posted a time of 1:13.19 for the Olympic record.
Met Over Instagram
Leerdam and Paul met over Instagram in the winter of 2022/2023. Kostas Lianos of the Sun in Great Britain has labelled Leerdam the “World’s hottest speed skater”, and has three million followers on her Instagram profile. In Calgary, she did not hesitate when being asked by a fan if she could have his picture taken with him for a selfie.
Preparing for March 2 fight
Paul did not seem to be in Calgary this weekend. He is preparing for his March 2 fight against Ryan Bourland in Puerto Rico.
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