Now that Jordan Stolz is home, he can reflect upon being the youngest world all-around speedskating champion since Eric Heiden at just 19.
"Yeah, it's hard to believe because Heiden was the youngest before I think," Jordan Stolz says. "So I mean comparing me to Heiden? That's a pretty big thing to compare but I'm glad I can have the title now."
The legendary Eric Heiden from rural Kewaskum is in the same conversation.
"There's only been two other guys that won the sprints, and the world all-around, and that's Eric and Shani Davis," Stolz's coach Bob Corby said. "So that's some pretty good company."
Stolz reflected on his accomplishments, saying that he does not want to limit himself.
"I mean it's far from reality, but I guess it could be something that is possible because obviously if I'm looking from a year back now? I didn't think I'd be able to get like the thousand world record," Stolz says. "I thought winning world all-around would be pretty difficult so I guess it's hard to limit where my abilities could go."
Corby said Stolz's accomplishments at his age are beyond impressive.
"They asked, me at the men's all-around so if he did team pursuit, and he did mass start? He might win five gold medals like Eric Heiden. And I was like yeah, but that's not five individual medals!" Corby says. "Take it easy. We all know that Eric is still the greatest. But this kid is so good. And to win that championship like he did at age 19. Take on the six best distance skaters in the world and just put 'em away."
There's no doubt he's a star on the rise, with many attaching the word 'superstar' to his name, as he smashes records.
"I didn't expect to beat the 1000 world record by that much," Stolz says. "Or even expect to beat it at all but I had a really good race. I was thinking the night before in the shower, how crazy it would be just to go under a minute and six seconds. Then, I went seven-tenths under."
Stolz is the quiet kid no longer and is the face of U.S. Men's Speedskating, ready for the spotlight at just 19.
"Hopefully some of the American media see it a bit more," Stolz says. "But rather than just the Olympics. But I think yeah, comparing it to some of the other great skaters in the U.S. I think there's room for improvement too. So I recently got a new pair of boots. So we're going to work on that a little bit and yeah, we'll see how many things I can just edge out and try and get just a little bit better because obviously the others guys are going to keep coming up. So they'll be planning. I'll have to try and plan better."
Stolz has a limited amount of sponsorship and endorsement deals, but it's amazing to think that more aren't talking to this rising phenom before he blasts off toward the 2026 Winter Games.
