Jordan Stolz (USA) left no room for doubt on Saturday. After Friday's 1000m win, the American added 500m and 1500m gold medals to his tally on day two of the ISU World Cup in Salt Lake City. 

But Stolz might not have it all his own way for long - Finn Sonnekalb (GER) stripped him of the Junior World Record in the 1500m, the 18-year-old taking a career first World Cup podium with bronze in a time of 1 minute and 41.33s.

Men’s 500m proves a bumpy ride 

The men’s 500m proved to be a bumpy ride for many, including Stefan Westenbroek (NED) and Zach Stoppelmoor (USA), who crashed out of the race.

Stolz skated in the sixth of 10 pairings against Damian Zurek (POL), and the two had to wait a couple of minutes because of an ice repair after Westenbroek’s crash. 

When they finally got to the starting line, Zurek had a false start. Stolz didn’t let the delay affect his race and got off fast with a 9.57s opener. 

Starting from the outer lane, he chased Zurek on the crossover, entering the last inner corner at well over 60km/h. Stolz kept in control, but couldn’t shake off the Pole, who kept up in the outer lane. Eventually Stolz pipped him to the line by a margin of 0.02s to stop the clock in 33.88s.

Jordan Stolz (USA) added 500m and 1500m gold to Friday's 1000m victory at the ISU World Cup in Salt Lake City (USA). © ISU

Zurek was best of the rest behind Stolz for the second time this weekend after already taking silver in the 1000m on Friday. He shaved 0.17s off his personal best with a first sub-34-second 500m, and even thought he could have been faster.

“I made a false start, and there was quite long break before our race, so I think I can still go a little faster,” he said. 

“Because of the false start, I need to focus on not doing a second false start - getting a DQ is quite dangerous for Olympic qualification.

“I'm super happy that it's silver again, and I'm starting the season in a good position.”

Olympic champion Gao Tingyu (CHN) took bronze in 33.93s. In all, five sprinters finished in under 34 seconds, Fourth ranked Wataru Morishige (JPN) setting a personal best in 33.94s and Bjørn Magnussen (NOR) in fifth sneaking under the 34s the barrier with a personal best of 33.99s.

Daman Zurek (POL, left) overcame a false start to win his second silver of the weekend, Olympic Champion Gao Tingyu (CHN) taking bronze. © ISU

Jenning de Boo (NED), who had set the season’s best time of 33.98 at sea-level Heerenveen before the first World Cup event, could only finish ninth in 34.23s.

“It was a sloppy race,” De Boo said. “I had a mistake at the start, a mistake in the last corner. At this level, with the top five skaters all under 34s, you just can’t afford to make mistakes. 

“I know I can do better, to still skate 34.2 with a sh*t-race. That’s something I take in for tomorrow.”

Stolz remains in league of his own, but Sonnekalb is coming

In the 1500m, Stolz took on World Record holder Kjeld Nuis (NED). The Dutchman paced his race well to take full advantage of the draft at the penultimate crossover, but Stolz was in full control the entire race, eventually reeling in Nuis in the last inner corner to finish in a time of 1 minute and 40.48s, 0.31s short of Nuis’ 2019 world record.

“I thought about it before the race,” Stolz said about the World Record. 

“I think if I were a little bit more rested going into it, not having done the 1000m and then a 500 before, even if it wasn't just the 500m, maybe I could have gotten it.

“I didn't have it in the first lap, I just didn't feel right. My endurance is still good, so I was able to pull it back. I think the World Record is possible, but today wasn't going to be the day.”

Nuis had hoped to see a 1:39-something for Stolz on the scoreboard.

“If he would have skated 1:39, I would have skated 1:40 and that’s my level,” he explained.

“I can only look at myself. He is just in a league of his own. If anyone can take that World Record, it’s him. That he hasn’t done it yet means that I’ve skated pretty fast five years ago. I’m proud of that, but not of the fact that I still have the record, because he is just better than me.”

Nuis eventually finished fifth in 1:41.37. Ning Zhongyan (CHN) took silver in 1:41.02 and Sonnekalb took bronze in 1:41.33, taking 0.93s off Stolz’s Junior World Record.

Finn Sonnekalb (GER) took almost a second off Stolz's Junior World Record in the 1500m and could soon rival the all-conquering American. © ISU

Stolz had thought his junior mark would have lasted a little longer, but he congratulated his successor.

“I can make the excuse that his birthday is a bit better than mine, so I was younger,” Stolz joked. 

“But no, he just did really good. I think he’s going to do good at senior level too, he’s on the podium today.”

Sonnekalb himself wasn’t too surprised about the junior world record, after his fifth place and personal best of 1:06.48 in the 1000m on Friday. 

“I expected the World Record, because yesterday was a good day for me. I gave everything, but to also get a medal was not what I had thought beforehand,” he said.

Ning Zhongyan (CHN, left), Stolz (center) and Sonnekalb (right) all set personal bests to reach the 1500m podium. © ISU

Sonnekalb, a triple Youth Olympic champion and double Junior World Champion, had never skated in Salt Lake City before, but he hadn’t been afraid to go all out on the famously fast rink.

“It’s not that different from Inzell (GER). The only thing that I feel is that when we're going on slow laps, it's easier to go faster. I think the fast lap feel is similar to other rinks.”

Sonnekalb’s goal for the first World Cups was to secure an Olympic ticket, but he also wants to skate the Junior World Championships which are scheduled a week after the Olympic Games in Milano Cortina in February.