Before the starter's pistol even fired at the U.S. Championships inside the Pettit Center, Jordan Stolz made history in the 1500 meters.
"It was a time of 142.8," Stolz says. "Kjeld Nuis had a time of 143-flat in Heerenveen. It was a good time. We’ll see what he thinks of that."
Still only 19 years old, Stolz's offseason training only made him better.
"Biking every day," Stolz says. "I don’t come here a lot in the summer, but training at home constantly. Pretty much all winter, unless I’m at World Cups, I mean this is the place... So far the work I’m putting in off the ice is coming into the races, so we’ll see if that keeps happening into the season. Hopefully, I can grow out a little more and we’ll see what I can do at high altitude."
And whether he likes it or not, he's the face not only of U.S. men's speedskating but an international phenom.
Reporter Lance Allan asks “Now do you feel like, this is my role, this is my place and I’ll say yes to who I can, and no to who I can’t?”
"Well, after I got berated in the Netherlands by all the Dutch people, all the Dutch interviewers, I’m kind of used to it a little bit," Stolz says.
And fame is stronger in the Netherlands, where it's the country's top spot.
"So far, it’s just been Zaanlander and I can’t remember what else as far as endorsements," Stolz says. “There’s been some smaller offers, but so far the main one is Zaanlander.”
Breaking records before the speed skating season begins, shows that Jordan Stolz will be a force for a decade or more to come.
