Ning Zhongyan Wins Olympic Gold in Men’s 1500m Speed Skating, Setting New Record
Milan, Italy – Ning Zhongyan of China secured the gold medal in the men’s 1500m speed skating event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, held on February 19th at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium. He set a new Olympic record with a time of 1:41.98.
Race Results
The race saw a thrilling competition with athletes from 17 nations participating. Jordan Stolz of the United States claimed the silver medal, also earning his third medal of the Games. Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands, the defending champion, took home the bronze, marking his fourth medal in the event.
Medalists
- Gold: Ning Zhongyan (China) – 1:41.98
- Silver: Jordan Stolz (United States)
- Bronze: Kjeld Nuis (Netherlands)
Background and Qualification
Kjeld Nuis, the 2022 champion, successfully qualified for the event. Kim Min-seok, the 2022 bronze medalist, also competed, representing Hungary after switching national allegiances. Thomas Krol, the 2022 silver medalist, had retired from competition. Prior to the Olympics, Jordan Stolz led the 1500m standings in the 2025–26 ISU Speed Skating World Cup, and Peder Kongshaug was the 2025 world champion in the event.
Records
Prior to the competition, the world record stood at 1:40.17, held by Kjeld Nuis (Netherlands) since March 10, 2019, in Salt Lake City, United States. The previous Olympic record was 1:43.21, also set by Kjeld Nuis at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
World Cup Performance
In the ISU Speed Skating World Cup #5 held in Inzell, Germany from January 23-25, 2026, Ning Zhongyan also achieved first place with a time of 1:41.958. Jordan Stolz finished second (1:41.958) and Kjeld Nuis finished third (1:43.819). ISU Speed Skating World Cup #5 Results
Additional Results
Other notable finishers included:
- Sander Eitrem (Norway)
- Metodej Jilek (Czech Republic)
- Daniele Di Stefano (Italy)
- Wenhao Li (China)
- Gabriel Odor (Austria) – 1:45.18 (+3.20)
- Finn Sonnenkalb (Germany)
- Valentin Thibault (France)
- Taiyo Nonomura (Japan)