Jutta Leerdam (born 30 December 1998) is a Dutch speed skater who specializes in long-track sprint events. She won gold in the 1000 metres at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, setting an Olympic record, and silver in the 500 metres at the same Games. She had earlier taken silver in the 1000 metres at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and is a multiple world champion across sprint and single-distance events.
Early life
Leerdam grew up in 's-Gravenzande in the Westland region, the third child in her family. Her father, a horticulture worker and tomato farmer, named her after a German windsurfing world champion. As a child she struggled with hyperactivity, so her parents looked to sport to balance her energy. After trying field hockey, gymnastics and tennis, she switched to speed skating at the age of eleven, at her father's suggestion. She also studied sports marketing and commercial economics for a time before leaving her studies to focus on skating.
Career highlights
Leerdam became junior world champion at the 2017 World Junior Championships in Helsinki and turned professional the following year. Since then she has won the 1000 metres world title twice, in 2020 and 2023, and the World Sprint Championships in 2022. She joined Team Jumbo-Visma in 2022. At the 2026 Winter Olympics she won the women's 1000 metres in a time of 1:12.31, an Olympic record, and also took silver in the 500 metres.
Personal life
Leerdam was in a relationship with fellow Dutch speed skater Koen Verweij from 2017 to 2022. Since 2023 she has been in a relationship with American social media personality and professional boxer Jake Paul, and the couple announced their engagement in March 2025. Her second cousin, Dione Voskamp, is also a speed skater.