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Speed skating at 2026 Milano Cortina: How it works, US stars to watch

Speed skating at 2026 Milano Cortina: How it works, US stars to watch

MILAN — Step into the world of speed skating, where ice skating meets racing.

American speed skating phenomJordan Stolzenters the2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympicsas the favorite to win up to four Olympic gold medals. Stolz could become the first Olympic speed skater to win multiple medals at a single Winter Games since Canada's Cindy Klassen in 2006 and the first American since Eric Heiden in 1980.

All 14 speed skating events will be held at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium in Milano Ice Park. Here's what you need to know about speed skating at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics:

Jordan Stolz USA leading Nicky Rosanelli ITA in the Speedskating Men's 500m at the St. Moritz Speed Skating Oval in Switzerland during the Winter Youth Olympic Games on Jan. 12, 2020. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Shani Davis and Jordan Stolz have developed a friendship all these years later. A young Jordan Stolz gets ready to race. Jordan Stolz reacts after competing in the Men's 1000 meter event during the 2022 US Olympic Trials, Long Track for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at Pettit National Ice Center on Jan 6, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisc. (L-R) Joey Mantia, Jordan Stolz and Austin Kleba stand on the podium following the Men's 1000 meter event during the 2022 U.S. Speedskating Long Track Olympic Trials at Pettit National Ice Center on January 6, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jordan Stolz, a top junior speed skater and Olympic Team hopeful, uses cycling to cross train. Jordan Stolz competes in the Men's 500 meter event during the 2022 US Olympic Trials, Long Track for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at Pettit National Ice Center on Jan 7, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jordan Stolz in the men's speed skating 500m during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Speed Skating Oval on Feb. 12, 2022. USA's Jordan Stolz competes in the men's speed skating 1000m event during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Feb. 18, 2022. Jordan Stolz of United States of America celebrates after he competes in the 500m Men race during the ISU World Speed Skating Championships at Thialf Ice Rink on March 3, 2023 in Heerenveen, Netherlands. Speedskater Jordan Stolz talks with coach Bob Corby after winning the 500 meters at the U.S. long track championships Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jordan Stolz cools down after racing in the 1,500 meters during the U.S. long-track speed skating championships Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jordan Stolz of the United States competes in the men's 500 meters in the ISU World Cup meet Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jordan Stolz of the United States gets a hug from five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair Cruikshank after finishing second in the men's 500 meters in the ISU World Cup meet Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jordan Stolz of the United States, foreground, and Tatsuya Shinhama of Japan race cool down after racing in the men's 500 meters in the ISU World Cup meet Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Shinhama won and Stolz finished second. Jordan Stolz of the United States competes in the men's 1,500 meters in the ISU World Cup meet Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He won in a track record time of 1:41.46. Runner-up Keeled Nuis of the Netherlands, from left, winner Jordan Stolz of the United States and Peder Kongshaug of Norway pose for pictures on the podium as the top three finishers in the men's 1,500 meters in the ISU World Cup meet Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jordan Stolz (near) and Cooper McLeod of the United States race in the 1,000 meters in the ISU World Cup meet Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jordan Stolz warms up before competing in the men's 1,000 meters during the U.S. Olympic long track speed skating Olympic team trials on Saturday Jan. 3, 2026 at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jordan Stolz goes to Milano Cortina as a gold-medal favorite

MORE:Jordan Stolz secures spot in all three sprint races for 2026 Olympics

When did speed skating become a Winter Olympic sport?

Speed skating originated in the 1600s to quickly pass over frozen lakes and rivers. It's been an Olympic sport since the first Winter Games in Chamonix in 1924, which included four distances for men (500m, 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m). The women's events were added at the 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympics. Team pursuit races were added to the program at the 2006 Torino Games and mass start made its debut in PyeongChang in 2018.

How does Olympic speed skating work?

Speed skaters aim to record the fastest time around a dual-lane, 400-meters long ice track, the same size as an Olympic running track. In individual races, skaters race against the clock in pairs, alternating lanes each lap to cover equal distances. Speed skaters use clap skates to ensure their blade stays in contact with the ice to get a stronger and longer push.

Olympic speed skating includes 14 different events:

  • 500-meter (men and women)

  • 1,000-meter (men and women)

  • 1,500-meter (men and women)

  • 3,000-meter (women)

  • 5,000-meter (men and women)

  • 10,000-meter (men)

  • Team pursuit (men and women): Two teams of three go head-to-head, starting on opposite sides of the ice track. The clock stops once the last skater from each team crosses the finish line.

  • Mass start (men and women): Up to 24 skaters begin at the starting line together and race against each other.

Top Team USA athletes

  • Jordan Stolz: The 21-year-old Wisconsin native became the first male skater to win three individual gold medals (500 meters, 1000 meters and 1500 meters) at the world championship in 2023, a feat he repeated in 2024. With world championships, world records and World Cup wins to his name, the only thing missing from his resume is an Olympic gold medal.

  • Erin Jackson: The 33-year-old Florida native made history at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games with her gold-medal win in the 500m event. She became the first Black woman to win a medal in speed skating and an individual Winter Olympic gold medal.

  • Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman, Ethan Cepuran: The trio captured gold in team pursuit at the 2025 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships and set a new world record in November. They are looking to upgrade their team pursuit bronze won at the 2022 Beijing Games.

Erin Jackson poses for a photo during the U.S. Olympic Team Media Summit in preparation for the 2026 Milan Olympic Winter Games at Javits Center in NYC on Oct. 29, 2025. Erin Jackson of the United States competes in the women's 500 meters in the ISU World Cup meet on Feb. 1, 2025, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wis. She finished second. Erin Jackson of the United States gets a hug from five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair Cruikshank after finishing second in the women's 500 meters in the ISU World Cup meet Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wis. From left, Erin Jackson, Isla Shobe, Libby Williams and Ella Teeples check the scoreboard after watching Cooper McLeod and Austin Kleba skate in the 500 meters at the U.S. long track championships on Nov. 2, 2024, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wis. Erin Jackson prepares to skate the 500 meters at the U.S. long track championships on Nov.2, 2024, at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wis. Team Bont's Erin Jackson (191) leads a lap during the Palm Beach Inline Classic speed skating competition at Astro Skate Family Fun Center in Greenacres, Fla., on March 28, 2024. Jackson won a gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in the 500m speed skating competition. Erin Jackson of the USA takes gold (center), Kimi Goetz of the USA takes silver (left), and Min-Sun Kim of the Republic of Korea takes bronze following the women's 500 m in the ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kerns on Jan. 20, 2024. Erin Jackson speaks during UF's university-wide commencement ceremony at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla, on Friday, May 5, 2023. Erin Jackson waves to spectators as she walks to the stage at the Howard Academy Community Center Friday night. Jackson was inducted into the Black History Museum of Marion County Friday night, March 25, 2022. Over 300 people attended the event that honored Erin Jackson, gold medalist in the 500-meter speed skating event in the Beijing Winter Olympics. Jackson made history by being the first African American woman to win a gold medal in any Winter Olympics. Fans, friends and family came out in support as her fellow Olympians, Brittany Bowe, bronze medalist in the 1,000-meter and Joey Mantia, bronze medal in team pursuit, came out to support her also. A young girl hugs Gold Medalist Erin Jackson as hundreds of people lined the streets of downtown Ocala Saturday afternoon, March 26, 2022 to see three Ocala Speed Skating Olympians, Erin Jackson, Brittany Bowe and Joey Mantia. All three won medals in the Beijing Olympics earlier this year. Jackson won gold in the 500 meter while Mantia won the bronze in the team pursuit and Bowe won bronze in the 1,000 meter. All three were honored with different proclamations and awards and they all received a key to the City of Ocala from Mayor Kent Guinn. Erin Jackson celebrates winning the gold medal during the medals ceremony for the women's speed skating 500m at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at Beijing Medals Plaza on Feb. 14, 2022. Erin Jackson celebrates winning the gold medal during the medals ceremony for the women's speed skating 500m at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at Beijing Medals Plaza on Feb. 14, 2022. Erin Jackson after winning the women's 500m during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Speed Skating Oval on Feb. 13, 2022 Erin Jackson reacts after competing in the women's 500m during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Speed Skating Oval on Feb. 13, 2022 Erin Jackson competes in the women's 500m during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Speed Skating Oval on Feb. 13, 2022. Erin Jackson competes in the Women's 1500 meter event during the 2022 US Olympic Trials, Long Track for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee on Jan. 8, 2022. Erin Jackson competes in the Women's 500 meter event during the 2022 US Olympic Trials, Long Track for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee on Jan. 7, 2022. Erin Jackson of the United State reacts after winning the women's 500m race during the ISU World Cup Long Track Speedskating competition at Utah Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City on Dec. 3, 2021. Erin Jackson of the United States (left) , Hellen Andrea Montoya Rios of Colombia (middle) and Ingrid Factos Henao of Ecuador on the podium after the women's 500m roller speed skating final during the 2015 Pan Am Games at Pan Am Aquatics UTS Centre and Field House in Toronto on July 13, 2015. Erin Jackson of the United States competes in the women's 500m roller speed skating semifinals during the 2015 Pan Am Games at Pan Am Aquatics UTS Centre and Field House in Toronto on July 13, 2015.

Olympic gold medalist, history making speed skater Erin Jackson

International landscape

Jackson will have some competition in the women's 500m. Netherlands sprinting starFemke Kokhas won three consecutive world championships in the event and set a new 500m world record of 36.09 seconds in November. The country Netherlands as a whole is highly skilled in speed skating and took home 18 medals (eight gold) at the 2025 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships, the most of any country.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Speed skating at 2026 Milano Cortina: US stars to watch, rules

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