Jutta Leerdam had already made history by the time she unzipped her racing suit.
But it may have been what happened seconds after crossing the line that proves just as lucrative as the gold medal itself.
The 27-year-old Dutch speed skater delivered the performance of her life in the women’s 1,000-metre speed skating final on February 9, storming to victory in 1:12:31 and breaking the Olympic record in the process. As she realised what she had done, emotion took over.
Leerdam broke down in tears.
Then, skating around the rink to a roar of applause, she pulled down the zip of her orange and blue suit to reveal a white Nike sports bra underneath — the swoosh front and centre.
It was a spontaneous moment of celebration. It may also turn out to be a seven-figure one.
Olympians are not paid for competing at the Games. In many cases, the only guaranteed financial reward comes from their home nation if they return with a medal. For athletes representing the Netherlands, that figure is reportedly $35,000 (£25,748) for gold.
Impressive — but nowhere near the sums seen in mainstream professional sport.
Yet Leerdam’s celebration has shifted the conversation.
The Netherlands’ official Winter Olympic merchandise sponsor is FILA. Leerdam, however, chose to wear Nike underneath her suit — and made sure the branding was visible at the most watched moment of her career.
Nike wasted no time responding. Shortly after her victory, the brand’s official Instagram account posted an image of Leerdam alongside the caption: “When you’re this fast, you don’t ask for permission.
“Jutta Leerdam breaks the Olympic record in the Speed Skating 1000m and wins her first Gold.”
The message appeared pointed. And according to advertising experts, potentially very valuable.
Frederique de Laat, founder of female athlete marketing agency Branthlete, believes the move could be worth serious money.
“With Nike, I suspect you’re looking at a figure of over a million,” she told Dutch publication AD.
That figure would dwarf the prize money she receives from the Dutch Olympic Committee.
It would also underline a reality of modern sport: for elite athletes, brand visibility can be just as powerful as podium finishes.
And Leerdam is no stranger to partnerships. According to several reports, she has an estimated net worth of $5 million (£3 million). Last year, she signed multiple deals, including an official partnership with Nike.
Announcing that collaboration in December, she wrote: “This was always the dream, right alongside performing on the ice. I never settled for less, because I knew what I wanted.”
The month prior, she modelled for Nike X Skims after taking gold in the women’s 1000m at the ISU World Cup, with her gym gear featured on the brand’s website.
In October, she was unveiled as the face of Odido, one of the largest mobile companies in the Netherlands. She also serves as an ambassador for Omega Watches, an official Winter Games partner.
Add in her social media reach — 6.3 million followers on Instagram and 3 million on TikTok — and the commercial picture is evident.
Of course, the gold medal itself was the main story on the night.
Among those celebrating in the stands was her fiancé, YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, who was visibly emotional as he watched her skate into history.
Wearing an orange and white Dutch scarf, Paul was seen in tears as Leerdam crossed the line.
He later shared his reaction on Instagram, writing: “I’M SO PROUD OF YOU,” and “MY BABY JUST SET THE OLYMPIC WORLD RECORD.”
In another post, after lifting her off the ice, he added: “We just witnessed one of the most important sporting moments ever. The doc will tell. Words can’t describe how proud of you I am.”
He had also shown support before the race, posting: “Today is your day baby. You’ve worked your whole life for this.
“We all love and support you so much, go get em champ.”
Speaking afterwards, Paul described the moment in deeply personal terms.
“Man, words can´t even describe it. It’s the greatest feeling (of) anything I’ve ever witnessed, to be honest. Just the amount of hard work that goes into it. Like 99.9 per cent of people will never understand. And she pulled it off, under the most amount of pressure ever.”
Leerdam would also go on to win silver in the 500m.
An Olympic record. A gold medal. A viral celebration. And potentially a $1 million boost to match.
For Jutta Leerdam, the finish line at the 2026 Winter Olympics may have marked the beginning of something even bigger.
Featured image credit: Instagram/juttaleerdam (screenshots)
