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Jordan Stolz (USA) is human after all. After the American won two impressive gold medals in the 500m and the 1000m, Ning Zhongyan (CHN) skated the race of his life in the 1500m to deny him the triple. 

Skating against defending champion Kjeld Nuis (NED), Ning shattered his opponent's Olympic record by 1.23s in a time of 1 minute and 41.98s. 

Stolz came 0.77s short of Ning's time, while Nuis took bronze, just 0.07 seconds behind the man who had won all 1500m races in the World Cup this season.

Ning defies unlucky draw

Ning explained that drawing the inside lane start against Nuis had not been ideal.

"I was kind of nervous because I would be racing with the two-time Olympic Champion,” he said. 

“I wanted to be in the outer, but I drew the inner lane."

Ning Zhongyan (CHN) defied his less favoured inside lane to deny pairmate Kjeld Nuis (NED) the draft on the final backstretch on his way to victory © Getty Images

The Dutchman, on the other hand, got his dream draw, but Ning wasn’t to be beaten.

"When you start inner in the 1500m, you'll get a draft at the first backstretch, and then you get a second draft at the last backstretch. Ning had just one chance at the change-up between 700-1100m and he took it. He deserved to win today."

While Nuis was slightly ahead at the 300m and 700m splits, Ning was the only one to skate a sub-26s lap between 700-1100m, thus taking enough of a gap to hold off the defending champion, who had hoped to take advantage of the last inner turn.

Ning executed his race plan perfectly to take 1500m gold by 0.77s © Getty Images

Ning explained his strategy.

“Last night my coach [Johan de Wit, NED] and I went through the race plan in detail, how to execute every part of it. He told me I had to go all out from the start and in the first and second laps,” he said.

"Because of the draw and the way the pairs worked out, if I did not commit fully early on, I would not be able to beat my opponent in the final lap. Today I executed every part of the plan.”

Nuis could only bow his head. "Ning had the race of his life. Phenomenal. The fact he beats Stolz, the man to beat, is insane."

Stolz attacks as hard as he can

Crossing the line, Ning had to wait for two more pairs to race to see whether his 1:41.98 would stand until the end of the competition. Sander Eitrem (NOR) and Finn Sonnekalb (GER) couldn’t come close in the penultimate pairing, eventually finishing ninth and 13th, but Stolz and Peder Kongshaug (NOR), who took the line in the final heat, would offer a sterner test.

Stolz was well aware of Ning's fast time before he got ready for his own effort.

"When I saw Ning's time, I thought that was really fast,” said the American.

Jordan Stolz (USA) attacked Ning's time but had to settle for silver © Getty Images

"I thought I could probably beat it, but when I saw the first split with 25.4, then I was attacking as hard as I could. I thought it was going to be close, but he was just better.

"I just didn't quite have the legs. The beginning part was a little slow. I thought I could maybe get it back, but I was just beginning to die off.

"Ning had the race of his life. I didn't have one of my best, but I am still happy with silver. I have two golds [500m and 1000m] and I was actually really happy that Ning was able to pull it off. I really like him."

Mutual respect

There was a lot of mutual respect between the three medalists. Before the race, Ning wished Nuis luck.

"Nuis is the two-time Olympic Champion, and I got to know that he had told everybody that this was going to be his last Olympics. I told him I was happy to race against him, that is was such an honor,” said Ning.

Mutual appreciation: Nuis and Ning embraced on their lap of honor © Getty Images

Nuis was moved by Ning's gesture.

"That was a super nice thing to say. We all three reached a very high level today. Me and Ning started super fast and Jordan had a very fast last lap,” said Nuis.

"In the tunnel after the race Ning said: ‘I've come away with silver and bronze so many times’, he surprised himself. That’s what the Olympics is about, I hope China is proud of him."

Ning's journey to gold

Ning was definitely proud of himself. “For more than 10 years of skating, all the roads I have taken, all the sweat and tears, in this moment it all feels worth it,” he said.

Stolz, Ning and Nuis show off their medals © Getty Images

"If I had won a medal, or even gold, at Beijing 2022 maybe I would not be standing here today. Back then I was only 21 or 22.

"If I had won a medal at home at that age, maybe my life would have gone in a different direction. Maybe I would have lost myself.

“Instead, I went through difficult moments. I was lost at times, but those experiences made everything more meaningful.”

Nuis the doyen of the distance

Taking bronze after having won gold in 2018 and 2022 made Nuis the most successful 1500m skater in Olympic history. Finnish Clas Thunberg (1924 and 1928) and Norwegian Johann Olav Koss (1992 and 1994) both won the title twice, but they were not able to add another medal in the distance.  

"Oh, is that true?" Nuis said when he was told about the statistic. "Now that's really cool.”

He even joked that he might be tempted to go on for another four years. "But then I'm 40,” he laughed, “but when it [the Olympic Games] is in Thialf, I'll get myself ready once more… 

"No, just kidding. If you see how fast these young guys are, I can call myself lucky that I'm still in the mix."

Nuis, now the Olympics' most successful 1500m skater, salutes the Dutch support in Milan © Getty Images

While Nuis ruled out that he would be competing at the 2030 Olympic Games, Stolz could see himself continue up until the 2034 Games. 

Many people had compared his ambition to win four gold medals in Milan with the five gold medals in long track speed skating Eric Heiden (USA) had won at one single Olympics in Lake Placid in 1980). But Stolz seemed relieved to have left that comparison behind:

"Nobody is able to do what Heiden has done, and it will probably never happen again. I mean, five gold medals is insane."