Quick Read
- Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam won Olympic gold in the women’s 1000m at the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics, setting a new Olympic record.
- Her fiancé, internet personality Jake Paul, was visibly emotional in the stands, openly weeping after her victory.
- This public display followed Paul’s controversial social media comments about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance.
- Paul had initially described Bad Bunny as a “fake American citizen” who “publicly hates America,” later clarifying his remarks amidst backlash.
- Leerdam and Paul reportedly postponed their wedding until 2027 to allow her full focus on Olympic training.
MILAN (Azat TV) – Controversial internet personality and boxer Jake Paul was visibly overcome with emotion as his fiancée, Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam, clinched Olympic gold in the women’s 1000m at the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics on Monday, February 9. Paul’s tearful reaction in the stands is rapidly reshaping the public narrative around him, coming just hours after he ignited a fresh wave of controversy with inflammatory social media remarks regarding the Super Bowl halftime show.
Leerdam delivered a career-defining performance, roaring to victory and setting a new Olympic record of 1 minute 12.31 seconds. Her triumph secured the Netherlands’ first medals of the Games and marked a significant moment of redemption. The 27-year-old finished 0.28 seconds ahead of compatriot Femke Kok, who took silver, while Japan’s defending Olympic champion Miho Takagi secured bronze. The atmosphere inside the packed 7,000-seat arena in Milan’s western suburbs was electric, with a sea of Dutch orange cheering on the final heats. Leerdam’s victory was a masterclass in pacing and control, executing a technically precise kilometer that saw her reverse the storyline from Beijing 2022, where she finished second behind Takagi in the same event. Speaking after her win, Leerdam stated, “I knew that if during the race I would feel tired, I wasn’t allowed to feel tired. I told myself: ‘You have 80 years to recover from this. You can feel tired after. You don’t want to live with that regret. You fought so hard for this.’”
Jake Paul’s Emotional Outburst at the Olympics
Among the jubilant crowd, Jake Paul watched from the second row, documented by his ever-present camera crew. As Leerdam crossed the finish line, securing her gold, Paul was seen weeping uncontrollably, a raw display of emotion that quickly went viral. Ahead of the race, he had shared clips on his Instagram story, exchanging flying kisses with Leerdam as she prepared to step onto the ice, captioning one post, “Let’s go babbbbbessss @juttaleerdam.” The couple, who announced their engagement in March 2025, reportedly postponed their wedding until 2027 to allow Leerdam to maintain her singular focus on training for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Their highly visible relationship has often been compared to the ‘Taylor and Travis’ phenomenon, creating one of the most prominent crossovers between Olympic sport and digital-era celebrity.
The Social Media Storm Surrounding Jake Paul
Paul’s emotional moment arrived amidst a significant backlash from his earlier social media activity. On Sunday, February 8, following the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Bad Bunny, Paul posted controversial remarks. ‘Turn off this halftime. A fake American citizen performing who publicly hates America. I cannot support that,’ Paul wrote initially on Sunday. This statement quickly drew widespread criticism, as Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, is from Puerto Rico, an American territory, making him an American citizen. Paul clarified his position on Monday morning, stating, ‘The problem with my tweet is the word fake being misinterpreted. He’s not a fake citizen obviously bc hes Puerto Rican and I love Puerto Rico and all Americans who support the country. Moreso Bunny is fake bc of his values and criticism of our great country.’ He further elaborated, defending his right to criticize those ‘openly hating on America’ and mentioning his previous critique of American freestyle skier Hunter Hess. His brother, WWE star Logan Paul, publicly disagreed with Jake’s initial post, writing, ‘Puerto Ricans are Americans & I’m happy they were given the opportunity to showcase the talent that comes from the island.’
A Shifting Narrative for the Influencer
Paul’s public display of raw emotion at Leerdam’s victory has, for many, momentarily overshadowed the recent social media storm. His tears offered a stark contrast to the often-calculated and provocative persona he projects online, providing a glimpse into a more personal, vulnerable side. While Paul has generated headlines throughout these Olympics for his outspoken commentary on US politics and culture, Leerdam’s reputation remains firmly grounded in her exceptional athletic performance. A two-time world champion and three-time European champion in the 1000m, her consistent elite results, combined with her significant social media presence, have redefined what it means to be a speed skating star in the modern sporting landscape. Her decision to largely bypass traditional media in Milan, communicating directly with her millions of followers, further underscores her independent approach.
The juxtaposition of Jake Paul’s public controversies and his genuine, unscripted emotional reaction to his fiancée’s Olympic triumph highlights the unpredictable nature of celebrity in the digital age, demonstrating how a singular moment of authentic human experience can swiftly reframe public perception, even if temporarily, eclipsing a meticulously crafted online persona.