Jutta Leerdam’s first Olympic gold is now being linked to a potential seven-figure Nike deal after a post-race moment drew global attention.
The Dutch speed skater won the women’s 1,000 meter event on February 9, clocking 1:12.31 to secure the top spot. As she celebrated on the ice, Leerdam unzipped her race suit, briefly revealing a Nike sports bra underneath.
The detail quickly became a talking point, particularly because the Netherlands’ official Olympic merchandise sponsor is FILA.
Jake Paul’s fiancée Jutta Leerdam lands big Nike deal
Soon after the race, Nike shared a photo of Leerdam on Instagram with the caption: “When you’re this fast, you don’t ask for permission.
“Jutta Leerdam breaks the Olympic record in the Speed Skating 1000m and wins her first Gold.”
Dutch publication AD reported that Frederique de Laat, founder of female athlete marketing agency Branthlete, believes the exposure could be a major payday.
“With Nike, I suspect you’re looking at a figure of over a million,” she told the outlet.
Athletes do not receive payment simply for competing at the Olympics, although medal bonuses are often awarded by national bodies. The Netherlands is reported to award around $35,000 to gold medalists.
Leerdam’s fiancé, Jake Paul, was in the crowd and visibly emotional after the finish. He later posted on Instagram: “I’M SO PROUD OF YOU,” and “MY BABY JUST SET THE OLYMPIC WORLD RECORD.”
In a separate post, he added: “We just witnessed one of the most important sporting moments ever. The doc will tell. Words can’t describe how proud of you I am.”
Meanwhile, Jake Paul’s brother Logan, sold his rare Pokémon card for a whopping $16 million.
