海角大神

The search for the next Eric Heiden has not been kind to America鈥檚 Winter Olympians.

Admittedly, the task is a massively unfair one. Mr. Heiden鈥檚 performance in the 1980 Lake Placid Games remains one of the most remarkable feats in Olympic history 鈥� winning all five speedskating events with four Olympic records and one world record.

But even by a lower bar, Americans have struggled since. From Bode Miller to Dan Jansen to Mikaela Shiffrin, several Americans have appeared reasonably poised for three or more gold medals. None have succeeded. Often, their failures have been of the spectacular variety.

On Wednesday, speedskater Jordan Stolz took a first, confident step toward fulfilling that promise. He won the 1000 meters in Olympic record time, with Mr. Heiden watching from the stands. (And Snoop Dogg, too. But when isn鈥檛 he watching?)

That, unfortunately, was the easy part.

The 1,000 meters is Mr. Stolz鈥檚 best race. Yet as recently as 2024, he finished first in the 500, 1,000, and 1,500 meters at the World Championships. Last year, he finished with two silvers (500 and 1,500 meters) and聽a bronze (1,000 meters).聽There鈥檚 also the possibility of gold in the mass start event at these Olympics, but the chaos of that race makes it chronically unpredictable.

Mr. Stolz has admitted that everything needs to go perfectly for a chance at three or even four gold medals. But, as he said Wednesday, 鈥淣ow I鈥檝e got one,鈥� and after the crashes and disappointments of previous would-be Heidens, it has kept the dream alive.

Mr. Stolz has never shied away from the challenge, even as he has been realistic. But that鈥檚 the thing. If there is a temperament for this sort of endeavor, Mr. Stolz seems to have it. Were NBC to put one of its heart monitors on him, it might struggle to register a reading.

Yes, he is calm. Yes, his monotone is as flat as a freshly Zambonied ice sheet. But more than those things, he seems to have the rare gift of not overcomplicating things.

When a journalist in the post-race press conference marveled at how none of the pressure seemed to be getting to him, Mr. Stolz deadpanned: 鈥淚t鈥檚 repetition. Winning a 1,000 meters is not something I don鈥檛 know how to do.鈥�

Yves Herman/Reuters

Jordan Stolz of United States celebrates with his coach Bob Corby after winning gold and setting a new Olympic record in the Men's 1,000m speed skating, in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11.

Wake up. Eat lunch. Go to rink. Win Olympic medal.

Simple.

Jenning de Boo, the spectacularly named Dutch silver medalist, blew out to an early lead in the race 鈥� enough to make Mr. Stolz admit he was a little nervous. But in the last turn, 鈥淚 heard him coming,鈥� Mr. de Boo said after the race.

鈥淵ou can hear his skates coming, and it鈥檚 pretty creepy,鈥� he smiled. Asked how it feels to have someone catch you from behind, Mr. de Boo cracked another grin: 鈥淗e鈥檚 the only one鈥� who can do it, he said of Mr. Stolz.

鈥淗is last lap is just incredible,鈥� Mr. de Boo enthused.

How did Mr. Stolz do it? Here was his analysis: He didn鈥檛 want to finish second, so he tried harder.

You鈥檇 think everyone would give that strategy a go.

At a media event in October, Mr. Stolz gave away a little more. He spoke of his work on the ice and off the ice on a bicycle during the summer. He spoke of being meticulous about every piece of equipment.

鈥淪eeing the work you put in off the ice, you can see that in your results,鈥� he said.聽聽

He saw it in those last 200 meters Wednesday, when silver became gold.

The path ahead for Mr. Stolz is one trodden by only one other American Winter Olympian in history: Eric Heiden. No one else has ever won more than two golds in a Winter Games. Only five other Americans have ever won three medals of any color at a single Winter Olympics, and none of them won more than one gold. No one but Mr. Heiden has ever won four medals.

The problem is not all 鈥� or even primarily 鈥� to do with American underperformance. It is related to which sports America is good at. Alpine skiing and speedskating offer multiple medals. But athletes generally specialize in those sports, making it almost impossible to medal across all the disciplines. By contrast, it鈥檚 comparatively easier to medal in multiple events in cross-country and biathlon, both events in which America is historically weak.

Norway has had 11 Winter Olympians win at least four medals in a single Games. Ten have been cross-country skiers or biathletes. By contrast, America has 48 Summer Olympians who have won at least four medals in a single Games, mostly in track and field, swimming, and gymnastics.

And then, of course, there is Eric Heiden.

That鈥檚 the enormity of the challenge facing Mr. Stolz.

For inspiration, he can turn to Swiss Alpine skier Franjo von Allmen, who won his third gold of this Games in the Super-G Wednesday. He is only the fourth Alpine skier ever to do it.

For Mr. Stolz, next is the 500 meters on Saturday, with the 1,500 meters next Thursday. At the October media event, Mr. Stolz鈥檚 monotone broke for just one moment. 鈥淪ometimes in the 1,500 meters,鈥� he said, 鈥淚鈥檒l start slow and catch up in the end.鈥�

A smile peeked through. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 always fun.鈥�

For the rest of the speedskating field, that is creepy.

But for an America long awaiting its next Heiden, it is the sound of hope.