Jordan Stolz prioritizes his medal potential at Olympic trials

MILWAUKEE, WI — Jordan Stolz is taking the long view.

Pre-qualified for the Milano Cortina Olympic team in all of his individual races, Stolz opted not to compete in the 1,500 meters Sunday. He lined up and started the race, fulfilling the requirement to finalize his spot at that distance, and then stopped after he took a few steps.

Stolz made the decision after a subpar performance in the 500 meters. Though he won the race, securing his spot at that distance, his time of 34.76 was well off his usual.

‘I wanted to see how my legs would feel today,’ Stolz said. ‘I tested it out in the 500 and it wasn’t a time that I was really too happy with. So I think it’s best just to take rest.’

Stolz is poised to be one of the biggest stars in Milano Cortina, a gold-medal favorite in four individual events. He swept the sprint events — the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters — at the 2023 and 2024 world championships, and won the season titles in all three distances last season.

This season, all Stolz has done is win the 1,000 and 1,500 meters at each of the four World Cups and five of the seven 500-meter races. Oh, he made the podium twice in the mass start, too, an event he just put back in his program after a three-year absence.

But the World Cup schedule took its toll. The four races occurred over a five-week span, and the last was less than four weeks ago. That meant that, after taking a bit of time to recover, Stolz could prioritize either his training or being in peak shape for the Olympic trials.

Wisely, he chose training.

‘The training block that I had before this was one of the best I’ve ever had. And I think that’s why I’m a little tired right now,’ said Stolz, who also picked up a cold earlier in the week.

‘… I think the best (thing) is to just go to the line in the 15, qualify my spot and then take a rest.’

Because it’s the Olympics that matter most, not the Olympic trials.

U.S. Speedskating changed its Olympic qualifying procedures to ensure its best skaters made the team after Erin Jackson almost missed being able to compete in the 500 meters at the Beijing Games.

Jackson, ranked No. 1 in the world in the distance at the time, finished third at the 2022 trials after a stumble at the start. Brittany Bowe, who won the race, relinquished her spot for Jackson, who went on to win gold in the 500 in Beijing.

Now athletes who win medals at the world championships can guarantee their spots ahead of trials by finishing in the top five in the same distance at two World Cups. Anyone who makes the podium at two World Cups is also guaranteed a spot at that distance.

Stolz had met that criteria for the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters after the second World Cup. He also guaranteed his spot in the mass start with two podium finishes, including a win at the last World Cup in Hamar, Norway.

That meant all he had to do was show up at trials. He could secure his spots for Milano Cortina without having to disrupt his training.

‘If I didn’t have this option, I would have had to take a little bit more rest,’ Stolz said. ‘That would have cut (my training block) down to only a week, and it just wouldn’t have been optimal. So being able to do this, now I can get the training in, get some races in. It helps a lot.’

It only makes sense.

The 21-year-old is a rare talent, and he has the chance to win more golds in Milano Cortina than any U.S. Winter Olympian since Eric Heiden, who won five at the Lake Placid Games. That is the goal, not performances at the Olympic trials that, ultimately, no one will remember.

‘I think I’m in a really good spot,’ Stolz said.

The Olympic trials are at the Pettit Center, Stolz’s home ice, and the stands are filled with his family and friends. He appreciates the rare opportunity to race in front of them, and a less-mature athlete might have been swayed by that and tried to put on a show.

But Stolz is as savvy as he is good. Being in peak shape in Milano Cortina is what’s important, and anything that takes away from that simply isn’t worth it.

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