Jutta Leerdam stuns critics with surprise gesture after winning Olympic gold medal amid ‘diva’ allegations

Dutch speed skating star Jutta Leerdam silenced her critics with a display of pure sportsmanship moments after claiming Olympic gold in record time.

The 27-year-old superstar was seen running towards her rival and teammate Femke Kok after leading her to the 1000m title in snowy Milan on Monday afternoon.

The emotional embrace, captured in a viral video on X, showed the champion abandoning his celebrations to console his teammate in a move that stunned his critics.

Fans who had previously branded the star a ‘diva’ had to watch her hug Kok, proving that the bond between the two athletes has not been broken.

Reacting to the clip, one fan wrote: ‘Where is Jutta running to? Of course… To Femke Kok! Let’s stop yelling that he is so arrogant and only focuses on himself!

‘He’s really super sporty, this mega sporting talent! So beautiful!” the fan added.

Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam took away her ‘diva’ title by crushing and consoling silver medalist Femke Kok immediately after winning the gold medal at the Winter Olympics.

Leerdam wins gold in women’s 1000 speed skating event with Olympic record

Leerdam becomes first Dutch athlete to win gold at Milan Cortina 2026

Another went to X and said: ‘Jutta Leerdam and Femke Kok: what a performance, what class! Pure elite sport, pure love of oranges.

‘TeamNL and the whole Netherlands can be VERY proud. These are the moments that stay with you,’ the fan added.

Leerdam not only won the race, she dominated the field and broke the Olympic record with a historic time of 1:12.31 on Italian ice.

This victory marks one step up from the silver medal she achieved in Beijing four years ago and cements her legacy as one of the greatest skaters of her generation.

But her journey to the top of the podium was marred by intense scrutiny over her ‘diva’ lifestyle and choice of luxury travel arrangements.

Former Dutch footballer Johan Derksen has led critics’ criticism by criticizing his decision to travel to Italy on a luxury private jet rather than with his team-mates.

‘His behavior is terrible to me, like that of a diva,’ Derksen said when speaking to Dutch media about his high-profile public persona before the event.

‘If I were his coach I wouldn’t tolerate this. ‘Slowly the whole of Holland is getting a little tired of his behavior,’ he added harshly.

Jake Paul was seen crying in the stands after his fiancée’s success at the event

Leerdam breaks down in tears after claiming gold to improve on silver at Beijing 2022

Leerdam added fuel to the fire by skipping the Opening Ceremony, opting to watch the event from his bed as his teammates walked through the stadium.

Images of his private jet, complete with custom flags and handmade cakes, deeply divided influencers and sports fans on social media.

But when the clock stopped on Monday, the ‘diva’ narrative hit an ice wall and the world witnessed her genuine love for the silver medalist during the final.

Leerdam burst into tears when it came to light that she had achieved her first Olympic title by defying intense pressure to perform as she had done throughout her career.

From the second row, her fiancé, YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, was seen openly crying in the stands while watching her historic achievement.

Paul, who recently suffered a defeat against Anthony Joshua, praised his partner in a series of emotional posts shared with his followers on social media.

It comes after Leerdam was branded a ‘diva’ for traveling to the Winter Games on a private jet

Jake Paul’s fiancee chooses not to fly to Milan-Cortina with the rest of the Dutch squad

‘Juttttttttaaaaaaa. ‘I can’t stop crying,’ Paul wrote to his millions of followers as he celebrated the huge victory from his seat in the crowded arena.

‘You did it, my love. Olympic Gold. ‘God is great and so are you,’ he continued, clearly impressed by the magnitude of what the Dutch star had achieved.

The victory is particularly pleasing for Leerdam, who was an optional pick for the Dutch team following a horrific crash during trials in December.

Now Milan Cortina has become the first Dutch athlete to win a gold medal at the 2026 Games, bringing his country a much-needed victory after a very tense winter season.