Jake Paul’s fiancee Jutta Leerdam is set to secure a place at the Winter Olympics after bouncing back from her brutal fall with a stunning performance on Sunday.
Dutch speed skater Leerdam crashed out of her signature event, the 1000m distance, on Friday and missed a chance to qualify for the Winter Games in Milan as a result.
Her boxing beau Paul, a week on from his brutal defeat to Anthony Joshua, watched on from the crowd as Leerdam slipped and agonizingly fell into a barrier on the day.
And so, the speed skating community nervously watched on at Sunday’s event as Leerdam returned for the 500m, before reminding the world of her supreme talents.
The 26-year-old came second in the 500m Olympic qualifier, just behind Femke Kok on the day, after producing an impressive time of 37.42s.
And, there was no shame finishing behind Kok, who set a track record time of 36.87s.
Leerdam, later in the day, returned to the ice for the second race, where she recorded a time of 37.59. Though it was slower than her first race, Paul’s fiancee is now expected to secure her spot in the Dutch Winter Olympic squad.
Paul, fresh off the back of his knockout loss to Joshua, was spotted in the crowd and posed for a thumbs up to the cameras after Leerdam’s impressive run.
He later posted a video of Leerdam onto his Instagram Story, after her race, writing: ‘So proud of you warrior @juttaleerdam’.
Speaking to NOS after the race, Leerdam reflected on Friday’s fall and how she managed to bounce back for the 500m event just two days later.
‘It was a really tough day and a half for me,’ she explained. ‘You’re feeling so good and riding so hard, then you fall and it’s all over. You couldn’t finish it, and that’s a very frustrating feeling.
‘You can kind of play the victim, but that’s not me. I have to keep going, I want to show what I can do in the 500 meters again. I have a good mentality for that.’
Fans were quick to rush to social media and praise Leerdam for the way she managed to bounce back from the heartbreaking fall just two days prior.
Taking to X, one fan said: ‘So much respect for Jutta Leerdam. The pressure is so high after her fall on the 1000 meters and then she delivers this on the 500 meters. Hats off!’
‘I saw the relief and the stress fly away from Jutta Leerdam. And what a fantastic 500m from Femke Kok,’ another said shortly after the event.
The 500m event came just two days after Leerdam left the Dutch Olympic Trials in tears on Friday after crashing out in the 1000m sprint.
Speaking to reporters after the fall, Leerdam said: ‘It felt like I was standing on something, I just slipped away. I just really don’t get it.
‘I’m riding so well in training and I feel really good. When I look at what those girls are riding here, I would have easily ridden that time’.
Earlier this week, her fiance Paul said how much he was looking forward to cheering Leerdam on at the Winter Olympics. He often travels to Europe to support her at skating competitions.
Discussing what the near future holds as he recovers from his broken jaw, Paul said on brother Logan’s ‘Impaulsive’ podcast: ‘I’m going to take some time off to go support Jutta at the Olympics (in Milan).
‘Then she’s going to move to Puerto Rico (where Paul lives). Move her here. Maybe go snowboarding or something.’
Paul and Leerdam have been together since 2023, after Paul messaged her with an invite to appear on his podcast.
‘I never, ever expected to date him, like never,’ Leerdam said on the documentary profiling Paul’s fight against Mike Tyson earlier this year.
‘Of course, I didn’t know a lot about him. I could only scroll on his Instagram and form an opinion like the whole world does. But he is the complete opposite.’
Paul, who had four plates inserted into his broken jaw after the Joshua fight and lost teeth during the procedure, told his brother Logan this week that he wants to start a family with Leerdam soon.
