Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam left the ice in tears after crashing during a key Olympic qualifying race in Heerenveen, a setback that has complicated her route to the 2026 Winter Games and prompted a public message of support from her fiancé, boxer Jake Paul.
Leerdam, 26, was among the favourites in the women’s 1,000 metres at the Netherlands’ Olympic qualification tournament at Thialf, but fell early in the race after losing her balance in the second bend, sliding into the boards and ending her run.
Speaking immediately afterwards, Leerdam described the shock of the moment and insisted such mistakes are rare for her. “That this is happening now. You just don’t want that, I never fall,” she said, according to Dutch public broadcaster NOS.
She suggested there may have been something unusual under her skate or on the track, adding: “As if I was standing on something. I completely slid,” in remarks cited by People from Dutch outlet Schaatsen.nl.
Leerdam’s fall came in a race she has dominated at stages this season. NOS reported she had won two World Cup events over 1,000 metres this season, including in Heerenveen, where she holds the track record, and said her opening section on Friday was exceptionally fast before the crash ended her attempt.
Without finishing the 1,000 metres cleanly, Leerdam missed the chance to secure direct qualification on that distance at the tournament, leaving her dependent on discretionary selection decisions made after the event concludes.
Dutch media reported that, with automatic qualification no longer in her control for the 1,000 metres, she would now need to be chosen for a discretionary place by the national federation, the KNSB. NL Times said the federation has discretionary slots available “to account for circumstances such as crashes or illness,” and that the tournament runs through December 30, with selections to be announced afterwards.
Leerdam made clear she believes her overall level should keep her in contention for Milan-Cortina, pointing to her results at the top of the sport. “At the world level, I’m at least in the top two, and I’ve won the past World Cups. I hope they will note my level,” she said, according to NL Times.
She also framed the missed opportunity as a personal blow because she wanted her Olympic place secured through the races rather than through discretion. “I actually want to win that medal for the Netherlands,” she said, adding: “I want to have it in my own hands, but that’s no longer possible.”
In the immediate aftermath, Leerdam appeared distraught as she left the rink area. People reported she was “visibly emotional” after the crash, and NL Times said she met Paul afterwards for comfort.
Paul, 28, attended the trials in person and later posted a message backing her publicly. People reported he shared a video clip of Leerdam skating on his Instagram Stories and wrote: “So proud of you warrior @juttaleerdam.”
Leerdam, who won an Olympic silver medal in the women’s 1,000 metres at the Beijing Games in 2022, has been one of the Netherlands’ most prominent speed skaters and is among the country’s best medal prospects in her event. People said her participation in the 2026 Olympics is now “unclear” and would depend on a decision by a selection committee that weighs athletes’ medal prospects.
The stakes are high because Dutch speed skating selection is fiercely competitive, with Olympic places limited and often decided by small margins at the national qualification tournament. NOS reported that in the same 1,000-metre race where Leerdam fell, Femke Kok won in 1:14.08, while Suzanne Schulting finished second in 1:14.71, a result NOS said “seems” likely to be enough for an Olympic ticket.
Schulting told NOS she had not expected her time to be sufficient, saying: “I didn’t expect it to be enough,” before adding: “But it is my best race in two years as an active long-track skater. It’s crazy, I’m qualified!”
For Leerdam, the incident created both sporting and practical questions. NL Times reported she said she did not appear injured, but wanted to assess her condition and equipment after the impact. “My body feels great. But I don’t know how it really is yet. I also don’t know what condition my skates are in,” she said, adding: “I find it all very difficult and I’m really disappointed, but I have to move on now.”
She also acknowledged the emotional haze of the moments after the fall. “I don’t know what I said afterward,” she said, according to NL Times. “It was a big blur. I never expected this to happen.”
Leerdam is still scheduled to compete in other distances at the tournament. NL Times reported she will also skate the 500 metres and 1,500 metres, and quoted her as saying: “This is really not a positive start. I still have more distances to skate. This is all so unlucky.”
The crash has also drawn attention because of Leerdam’s high-profile relationship with Paul, who has become a major figure in combat sports and online media. People reported the couple made their relationship public in April 2023, when Paul posted photographs with Leerdam and wrote: “I’m Dutch now,” and that they announced their engagement in March 2025 with the caption: “We’re engaged💍🕊️🤍we can’t wait to spend forever together.”
While the celebrity element has amplified interest, the central sporting issue remains whether Leerdam can still secure a place for Milan-Cortina despite losing her automatic route in her signature distance. The discretionary process now becomes the key factor, with Leerdam urging selectors to consider the wider evidence of her form and international record rather than a single slip in the highest-pressure race of the season.