By HOWARD FENDRICH
MILAN — Jordan Stolz is now a two-time Olympic gold medalist in speedskating — halfway to his goal of four at the Milan Cortina Games — after winning the 500 meters on Saturday to go along with his victory in the 1,000.
Stolz, a 21-year-old from Wisconsin, is only the second man to complete the 500-1,000 double at one Olympics. He joins Eric Heiden, the American who did it as part of his record sweep of all five individual men’s speedskating events at the 1980 Lake Placid Games.
Stolz finished the 500 in an Olympic-record time of 33.77 seconds, after also setting a Games mark in his win in the 1,000 on Wednesday. Both times, the silver went to Jenning do Boo of the Netherlands, who clocked 33.88 in the shortest speedskating event. Both times, they raced head-to-head in the same heat.
Stolz was leading Wednesday as they came out of the final curve, then they were even entering the last stretch. But Stolz, who overcame a deficit in the 1,000, turned on the speed and leaned across the line first again in the 500. De Boo slipped and fell into the wall afterward, while Stolz skated past and shook his right fist overhead.
Canada’s Laurent Dubreuil got the bronze in 34.26.
