Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam had an unforgettable run at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, walking away with two medals to show for it. She captured gold in the women’s 1000-meter event and silver in the 500-meter race, cementing herself as one of the standout performers of the Games. After her remarkable performances, she took to social media to share an emotional farewell message, giving fans a glimpse of her medals alongside a luxury Birkin bag she had treated herself to after winning gold. Her exit from the Olympic Village was anything but quiet.
In a heartfelt video she posted online, Leerdam reflected on everything the Games had meant to her. “I can’t believe it. It was a truly wild ride. And I’m leaving with gold, silver, and my Birkin,” she said proudly. She also spoke about the difficult but rewarding decisions she made in the lead-up to the Olympics, choosing to forge her own path rather than signing with an established team. “I feel so blessed to have an incredible team around me. Two years ago I decided I wouldn’t sign with any major team but would build my own instead, and they were incredible. We truly became a family,” she emphasized.
Leerdam also made a point of highlighting the role her loved ones played throughout the journey. “My own family is my biggest support. They are my everything. Even if I hadn’t won a single medal, they would have been by my side. And to all of you supporting me, having such wonderful people around me was already a victory, and now I’m an Olympic champion as well. This is all too much. I’m overjoyed. I look crazy. I’m genuinely exhausted, but all of this, every bit of it, was worth it. Alright, see you soon. It’s time to leave the Olympic Village. I love you,” she concluded.
@juttaleerdam Just a reminder to follow your heart and it will all work out. 🥹 Thankful for all of you.
♬ origineel geluid – Jutta Leerdam
Beyond her medal wins, Leerdam also found herself at the center of a marketing controversy during the Games. After one of her races, she unzipped her tracksuit in front of cameras to reveal a sports bra bearing the Nike logo, sparking immediate debate since the Olympics enforces strict rules around brand visibility and ambush marketing. Nike, which is not an official Olympic sponsor, further fueled the discussion when its account, followed by nearly 300 million people, shared a photo of Leerdam from the ice with the caption “When you’re this fast, you don’t ask for permission.” Marketing analysts estimated that the exposure could be worth up to $1 million for Leerdam. After considerable attention and debate, Olympic officials cleared her of any wrongdoing and confirmed she would not face punishment.
Away from the ice, Leerdam has built an enormous following across social media, with 5.6 million Instagram followers and over two million on TikTok. Her personal life has also drawn significant media attention, particularly her engagement to American YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul, with whom she regularly shares moments online. Before her relationship with Paul, Leerdam was in a long-term relationship with Dutch speed skater Koen Verweij from 2017 to 2022. Verweij is also an accomplished Olympic athlete, and the two are reported to have remained on good terms after their split.
Speed skating has been a part of the Winter Olympics since the first Games in Chamonix in 1924 for men, with women’s events added in 1960 in Squaw Valley. The Netherlands has historically been one of the dominant nations in the sport, consistently producing world-class skaters across both sprint and long-distance disciplines. The 1000-meter event, in which Leerdam claimed gold, is considered one of the most demanding sprint distances in speed skating, requiring athletes to balance explosive power with tactical pacing. The Birkin bag, which Leerdam famously showed off in her farewell video, is a handmade luxury item produced by the French fashion house Hermès and is widely regarded as one of the most coveted status symbols in the world, with prices typically starting at several thousand dollars and climbing well into six figures for rare editions.
What do you think about Jutta Leerdam’s performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics and the Nike controversy surrounding her Games appearance? Share your thoughts in the comments.
