Gold medalist Bart Hoolwerf (C) of the Netherlands, silver medalist Bart Swings (L) of Belgium and bronze medalist Daniele Di Stefano of Italy pose during the awarding ceremony for the mass start men Division A race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
BEIJING, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- American prodigy Jordan Stolz repeated his feat of winning four individual gold medals as the ISU Speed Skating World Cup concluded at the National Speed Skating Oval here on Sunday.
Stolz, having won three gold medals after the men's 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m competitions in the first two competiton days, clocked 34.39 seconds in the second 500m race to win his fourth in the "Ice Ribbon". Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, runner-up from the first race on Friday, added another silver to his collection, 0.08 seconds behind, followed by Kim Jun-ho of South Korea in 34.67.
"I was pretty happy to be able to win this one too and keep the winning streak going for the first two World Cups," said 20-year-old Stolz, who also took four gold medals from the season-opening World Cup in Nagano, Japan last weekend.
Sunday's win extended his World Cup unbeaten record to 12 victories in a row dating back to last season, and the American was still looking for more.
"I'll continue to get a little bit faster, hopefully in the next couple of World Cups I can try and win more. But if I lose one or two, it's alright," he said.
Speaking of his goal this season, the six-time world champion, winning three golds each from back-to-back world championships in 2023 and 2024, sets his eyes on making it a triple of triple.
"I'd like to defend the three titles that I won for the last two times. Hopefully I can do it a third time and I've never won the overall World Cup points, so I would like to be able to win that," Stolz noted.
Chinese skaters won two bronze medals on Sunday as Yang Binyu finished behind Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands and Valerie Maltais of Canada in women's mass start before Liu Bin, Lian Ziwen and Ning Zhongyan joined efforts to add another later in men's team sprint.
These brought China's medal count to one silver and three bronze medals on home ice, following Ning's silver in 1,500m and bronze in 1,000m.
"After the Beijing Winter Olympics I feel I have become more mature, especially mentally. Next I'll try to learn from all these experience and build up my stamina, to get better prepared for the Milan Winter Olympics," Ning said.
Elsewhere, Kaja Ziomek-Nogal of Poland came victorious in the second women's 500m race in 37.82 seconds and Bart Hoolwerf of the Netherlands won the men's mass start with 60 sprint points.
The ISU Speed Skating World Cup will next move to Calgary, Canada in January. ■
Bart Hoolwerf (front) of the Netherlands celebrates after the mass start men Division A race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Bart Hoolwerf (4th R) of the Netherlands competes during the mass start men Division A race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Athletes compete during the mass start men Division A race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Bart Hoolwerf of the Netherlands, Bart Swings of Belgium, Daniele Di Stefano of Italy (front, L to R) compete during the mass start men Division A race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Bart Hoolwerf (1st L) of the Netherlands celebrates after crossing the finish line during the mass start men Division A race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Gold medalists team the Netherlands (C), silver medalists team the United States (L) and bronze medalists team China pose during the awarding ceremony of the men's team sprint race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Stefan Westenbroek (front) and Jenning De Boo of the Netherlands compete during the men's team sprint race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Ning Zhongyan of China competes during the men's team sprint race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Liu Bin (L), Lian Ziwen (C) and Ning Zhongyan of China pose on the podium during the awarding ceremony of the men's team sprint race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Liu Bin (L) and Lian Ziwen of China compete during the men's team sprint race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Ning Zhongyan (front) of China competes during the men's team sprint race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Liu Bin (L), Lian Ziwen (C) and Ning Zhongyan of China greet the spectators after the awarding ceremony of the men's team sprint race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Austin Kleba (front) of the United States competes during the men's team sprint race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Jenning de Boo (R) and Tim Prins of the Netherlands compete during the men's team sprint race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Austin Kleba (R) of the United States competes during the men's team sprint race at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
