Jake Paul’s fiancée Jutta Leerdam qualifies for two Winter Olympics events after scary fall

Boxer and YouTuber, Jake Paul’s speed skater fiancée, Jutta Leerdam, will compete in two events at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan after making a strong comeback from a frightening fall on the ice.

The Dutch athlete crashed during the Netherlands’ qualifying race for the 1,000m, her specialty, last week. She left the ice in tears, raising doubts about her Olympic chances. However, the very next day, Leerdam secured qualification for the 500m event, Daily Mail reported.

Following the fall, the 27-year-old had to wait for a decision from the Netherlands’ selection committee on whether she would still be allowed to compete in the 1,000m. On Thursday, she confirmed via Instagram that she had been selected for both the 500m and 1,000m races.

Leerdam explained that only nine Dutch women could qualify for the Games and that she earned her place through the 500m, with the skating federation later adding her to the 1,000m lineup. She also noted that the decision did not displace any other athlete.

Jake Paul reacted to the news in the comments, posting three padlock emojis. He had traveled to the Netherlands to support Leerdam during the trials, shortly after suffering a broken jaw in his boxing match with Anthony Joshua.

After her emotional exit from the 1,000m qualifier, Paul had told reporters that watching the fall was heartbreaking, describing the Olympics as Leerdam’s lifelong dream. Leerdam herself had appealed to selectors, pointing to her strong training form and past World Cup performances.

While awaiting the final decision, Leerdam celebrated her 27th birthday, with Paul sharing photos of them together and a brief birthday message to her on social media.

Leerdam will now head to Milan to compete in both events at next month’s Winter Olympics.

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