‘Jutta Leerdam and Jake Paul have modified the game – it is actually cool to see’
EXCLUSIVE A former Winter Olympian has admitted Jutta Leerdam and Jake Paul have changed their sport for the better as more eyes were cast on the Dutch star’s achievements
Jutta Leerdam and Jake Paul are the sport’s golden couple(Image: @juttaleerdam/Instagram)
“If I tell someone I’m a speed skater now, they might say, ‘Oh, do you know Jutta?’ It’s amazing,” Alexandra Ianculescu admitted.
Ianculescu, who is working in Milano-Cortina as a commentator, competed on the ice at the 2018 games in PyeongChang. However, her experience on the Olympic ice wasn’t positive after she was told she hand’t qualified back and decided to take four weeks off.
Speaking to Daily Star Sport back in 2023, she admitted: “I got off the ice, and I started crying. I knew that it wasn’t the best I could do.” However, it hasn’t broken her love for the sport.
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And speaking to Daily Star Sport ahead of the games, Ianculescu was full of praise for Jutta Leerdam and Jake Paul, the “niche sport’s celebrity couple”.
“100%, there’s more eyes on the sport. With Jake’s presence at World Cups and athletes becoming more visible on social media, there’s definitely more awareness.
“There are only about 30 of us in the world competing at the highest level. It’s such a small niche sport.
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“Now people are buying Olympic tickets to see their idols. It’s like me going to see Mick Jagger – I don’t care about anything else, I just want to see him.
“That kind of fan culture usually belongs to bigger, better-funded sports. Speed skating doesn’t have money in it. So to see the spotlight growing heading into 2026 is really cool.”
Leerdam claimed gold earlier this week, clinching the title in the women’s 1,000m gold medal at Rho Fiera exhibition centre all while shattering the Olympic record.
Afterwards Leerdam paid tribute to Paul and her family, who she said had provided support that she had struggled to reciprocate.
“I’ve been supportive, but I’ve not been able to go to his [Paul’s] past fights because of skating. It would be nice to be there more. He has supported me a lot more and has come to many of my races, so I’m very grateful.
“Also, my family – I’m just so grateful for the support system around me. It’s amazing.”
