Big moments at the Olympics usually belong entirely to the athlete on the ice, but this time there was someone else in the stands soaking in every second. While most fans were focused on the race itself, Jake Paul was watching closely from the sidelines as his fiancée, Jutta Leerdam, delivered one of the biggest performances of her career.
For those who only know Paul from the boxing headlines, it was a different kind of spotlight; one where he wasn’t the main attraction. After the event wrapped up, he shared a glimpse of the moment between them and opened up about what it was like seeing her dominate on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Following the event, Paul took to X to share a picture with Leerdam and a caption that said, “we just witnessed one of the most important sporting moments ever. the doc will tell. words cant describe how proud of you i am.”
Jutta Leerdam saved her best for last in the women’s 1000m at the Milan Cortina Games, stepping onto the ice in the final heat with a clear number to chase. Moments earlier, her teammate Femke Kok had set a blazing mark that briefly looked good enough for gold.
Instead of backing off, Leerdam used it as fuel and delivered an even faster lap, stopping the clock at 1:12.31 to claim the top spot and set an Olympic record.
Skating head-to-head with Japan’s Miho Takagi, she attacked the race early and held her speed through the closing stretch despite obvious fatigue. By the finish, she was so drained she could barely react, needing the scoreboard to confirm what she’d just accomplished.
Once it registered, the emotion hit: tears, relief and a long embrace with Kok after both Dutch rivals produced standout performances under heavy pressure.