Jutta Leerdam has finally spoken out about the devastating fall that put her Winter Olympics aspirations in jeopardy, confessing she remains “still in shock” over the incident.
The Dutch speed skating star took to Instagram on Monday to address her tumultuous weekend, having stayed silent on social media since crashing out of the 1000m Olympic qualifier last Friday.
“I will most likely see you at the Olympics in Milan for the 500m! A very unfortunate moment during my best distance, the 1000m on Friday,” she wrote.
“Now we wait and hope I get the opportunity to skate the distance I’ve won multiple World Cup golds in this season.
“I’m still in shock, I never had my messages flooded like this before.”
The 25-year-old, who is engaged to boxer Jake Paul, expressed overwhelming gratitude for the outpouring of support she received.
“I feel everyone’s support so much and I’m very grateful for that. I read everything and I appreciate it more than you know,” she added.
The heartbreaking moment unfolded during what should have been Leerdam’s strongest event, as she lost her footing and slid painfully into the barriers, ending her 1000m qualification hopes in an instant.
Her fiancé Paul was present in the stands to witness the agonising scene, having arrived just seven days after suffering a brutal knockout defeat at the hands of Anthony Joshua.
The 1000m distance represents Leerdam’s premier discipline, making the fall particularly crushing for the Dutch athlete.
Jutta Leerdam has finally spoken out about the devastating fall that put her Winter Olympics aspirations in jeopardy, confessing she remains “still in shock” over the incident
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With her signature event now behind her, the speed skater faced an anxious wait before her second opportunity to secure a place at the Milan Games through the 500m qualifier.
Leerdam returned to the rink on Sunday afternoon and delivered a commanding performance, clocking an impressive 37.42 seconds to finish runner-up behind Femke Kok, who had already secured her Olympic berth.
Paul was once again watching from the crowd and gave a thumbs up to cameras following his fiancée’s strong showing.
The American boxer subsequently shared footage of Leerdam on his Instagram story, captioning it: “So proud of you warrior @juttaleerdam”.
Reflecting on her mental recovery in an interview with NOS, Leerdam acknowledged the difficulty of the preceding 36 hours.
“It was a really tough day and a half for me,” she explained. “You can kind of play the victim, but that’s not me. I have to keep going, I want to show what I can do in the 500 meters again.”
Jutter Leerdam and Jake Paul pictured earlier this year
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Supporters flocked to social media to commend Leerdam’s remarkable resilience following the emotional turmoil of her 1000m disappointment.
“So much respect for Jutta Leerdam. The pressure is so high after her fall on the 1000 meters and then she delivers this on the 500 meters. Hats off!” one fan wrote on X.
Another observer noted the visible relief washing over the skater after crossing the finish line.
The Dutch Olympic committee now holds the key to Leerdam’s Milan fate, though expectations are high that she will earn selection to the squad.
The speed skater expressed hope that officials would grant her the chance to compete in the 1000m, a distance where she has claimed multiple World Cup gold medals this season.