Olympics-Speed skating-China's Ning stuns field to claim 1,500m gold at Milano Cortina

By Pearl Josephine Nazare

MILAN, Feb 19 (Reuters) - China's Ning Zhongyan delivered a sensational performance to win the men's 1,500 metres at the Winter Olympics on Thursday, capturing his and his nation's first speed skating gold at these Games.

American Jordan Stolz claimed silver, while two-times defending Olympic 1,500m champion Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands secured bronze to round out a high-calibre podium.

Stolz entered the event as the overwhelming favourite after record-breaking victories in both the 1,000m and 500m.

But the field was stacked with heavyweights - including Ning himself; Nuis, the 1,500m world record holder; newly crowned 5,000m Olympic champion Sander Eitrem; 10,000m gold medallist Metodej Jilek; as well as Dutchman Joep Wennemars and Poland's Vladimir Semirunniy.

But Ning, 26, already buoyed by two bronzes at Milano Cortina - in the 1,000m and the team pursuit - had other plans.

Skating in the 13th of 15 pairs, Ning started in the inner lane alongside Nuis.

On a remarkable day for the distance, the Olympic record fell twice: first to Wennemars in the 11th pair, and then to Ning, who obliterated the new mark moments later. Ning stopped the clock at one minute 41.98 seconds, finishing 0.77 seconds ahead of Stolz.

Ning and Nuis battled stride for stride before Ning decisively pulled ahead, but his gold was by no means guaranteed - he first faced an agonising wait as Stolz and Norway's Peder Kongshaug - skating in the 15th pair - completed their run.

Only when the last time flashed up on the board did his achievement sink in. Draped in the Chinese flag, Ning cried.

"When Jordan was skating in the last pair, I still did not think the gold was mine," Ning said. "He has been in incredible form all season. Even after he crossed the line, I was still not completely sure.

"It was only when the result was confirmed that it started to sink in. It is an amazing feeling."

He said it had been a long road since four years ago in Beijing.

"After the Beijing Winter Olympics, the level in speed skating just kept getting higher and higher. It felt like there was a mountain in front of me, and no matter what I did, I just could not get past it.

"But I never stopped believing in myself. I kept telling myself to stay patient, to keep putting in the work, to trust that all the effort would add up one day. Today was that day. Even now, it still feels a little unreal that I was able to do this."

With Ning's triumph, China now holds three gold medals at Milano Cortina, following Xu Mengtao's victory in the women's freestyle skiing aerials and Su Yiming's win in the men's snowboard slopestyle.

Stolz said he was happy with his silver.

"I was hoping if it wasn't going to be gold, I hoped I could get a silver," he said.

"Ning had the race of his life. I didn't have one of my best ... I was actually really happy that Ning was able to pull it off. I really like Ning."

It was also a special moment for Nuis, skating in his final Olympic race.

The 36-year-old - who won the 1,500m and 1,000m double at Pyeongchang 2018 and retained the 1,500m title at Beijing 2022 - soaked in the roar of the orange-clad crowd.

His teammate, 23-year-old Wennemars - the 2025 world champion in the 1,000m - was similarly roared on.

Wennemars had endured heartbreak in the 1,000m after a collision led to a re-skate and an eventual fifth place that "ripped apart" his Olympic dream.

In the 1,500m he briefly held the Olympic record, only to finish fourth as the races unfolded at a blistering pace.