Jutta Leerdam to skip upcoming speed skating season

Olympic speed skating champion Jutta Leerdam has announced she will not compete during the upcoming season. The Dutch athlete shared the news via a video on her YouTube channel, stating that while she is taking a break, she is not officially retiring from the sport.

Leerdam, who won gold in the 1,000 meters and silver in the 500 meters at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, noted that at 27 years old, her feelings and life circumstances are changing. She expressed that she is not ready to ‘fully close the door’ on a potential future return to the ice.

By sitting out this season, Leerdam will miss the European Championships in Heerenveen and the World Championships in Beijing scheduled for February. Her hiatus comes several months after her record-breaking Olympic performance.