By HOWARD FENDRICH
MILAN (AP) — On the ice, Jutta Leerdam is an Olympic medalist speedskater for the Netherlands who is entered in the 500 and 1,000 meters at the Milan Cortina Winter Games. Off the ice, Leerdam gets a lot of attention for her engagement to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul — who is also at these Olympics, but as a spectator.
Separately, Leerdam and Paul have big followings on social media. Together, they draw a lot of eyeballs and interest, and he is expected to attend her events in Milan.
Leerdam did not race at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium on Saturday; she will start competing next week. Paul was spotted on Saturday, though, at another venue, sitting and chatting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance as the U.S. women’s hockey team defeated Finland 5-0.
Who is Olympic speedskater Jutta Leerdam?
Leerdam is a 27-year-old Dutch athlete who took home a silver medal in the 1,000 meters from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. She also took part in the 500 four years ago, coming in fifth place.
Leerdam’s trophy collection includes 12 world championship medals, with six golds. Two of those titles arrived in the 1,000 — in 2020 and 2023.
She has about 5 million followers on Instagram.
When will Jutta Leerdam compete at the Milan Cortina Olympics?
The first event for Leerdam in Milan will come Monday in the 1,000 meters.
She then is scheduled to race again on Feb. 15 in the 500, in which American Erin Jackson is the reigning Olympic champion.
Leerdam is considered a medal contender in both events.
Who is Jake Paul, Jutta Leerdam’s fiancé?
Paul is a 29-year-old American influencer who first gained fame for his YouTube videos and then made his way into the world of boxing about five years ago.
He most recently had his jaw broken during sixth-round knockout loss to former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua at Miami in December.
Paul has also gone up against a 58-year-old Mike Tyson in November 2024, plus Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., retired UFC fighters Anderson Silva and Nate Díaz and former NBA player Nate Robinson.
When did Jutta Leerdam and Jake Paul get engaged?
Leerdam and Paul posted news about their engagement on Instagram in March.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
