Jutta Leerdam had makeup running down her cheeks for the whole world to see at the 2026 Winter Olympics — and she didn’t care.
After the Dutch speedskater’s tears of joy and makeup-stained cheeks went viral following her gold medal-winning 1,000-metre race, the 27-year-old star has revealed why she chose to wear the winged eyeliner and mascara.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, the blonde beauty said that wearing the makeup gave her confidence — even if some viewers made fun of her for wearing makeup while competing.
“For me, this picture captured everything my Olympics stood for,” Leerdam wrote along with a photo of herself crying tears of joy after the big win. “This moment proves you don’t have to become less of yourself to achieve something great. That your looks don’t define you as a person or as an athlete. That if you work hard and stay determined, it will all come together.
“It’s so ironic because my winged eyeliner and makeup are something I’ve been judged for during my whole career, when all it ever did was give me confidence and make me feel feminine and powerful.
“The pressure I’ve felt, the judgment I’ve dealt with around so many things, the hard work I’ve been putting in for so many years all came together in this moment.”
Leerdam also explained that while many felt she wore the heavy makeup to garner attention, she simply did it for herself.
“I never felt the need to prove anything. I did this for me, my younger self, my family and for all women who don’t want to be put in a box and just want to be their authentic selves,” she continued.
“A reminder that you can be soft and strong, disciplined and feminine, all at once. Never let anyone dim your light.”
Dutch retailer also gets in on the hype
Leerdam’s tears of joy also inspired an ad from Dutch retailer Hema shortly after the event.
“Water-resistant, even with tears of joy,” the ad posted on Instagram read.
“We totally get it @juttaleerdam. We were also crying a tear on the couch. What a global achievement by the Dutch skating ladies!” the caption said.
Did Leerdam earn a million for sports bra flash?
After winning the event, Leerdam also unzipped her racing suit, showing off the white Nike undergarment as she cooled down after the tough race.
As the photo of the emotional Leerdam went viral, Nike posted an image of her celebration on the company’s official Instagram account — which boasts nearly 300 million followers.
According to one advertising expert, Nike — whose sports bra was on display as Leerdam celebrated her medal in the 1,000m speed skating event last week — could be forking over big bucks to the blonde beauty.
Frederique de Laat, founder of Branthlete — a marketing agency specializing in female athlete advertising — said that the 27-year-old Dutchwoman could be heavily compensated through her brand deal.
“With Nike, I suspect you’re looking at a figure of over a million,” de Laat told Dutch news outlet AD, per the Daily Mail.
Meindert Schut, editor-in-chief of the business magazine Quote, also said that Leerdam could earn around one cent per follower and sponsored Instagram post.
With 6.2 million Instagram followers on her own, that means Leerdam could stand to earn roughly $100,000 per post featuring Nike.
What was her fiance Jake Paul’s reaction?
Leerdam wasn’t the only one brought to tears by her record-setting performance. Her fiance, Jake Paul, was seen crying in the stands after the race and later shared on social media how proud he was of his partner.
“Man, words can´t even describe it. It’s the greatest feeling (of) anything I’ve ever witnessed, to be honest,” the YouTuber-turned-boxer said after the event. “Just the amount of hard work that goes into it.
“Like 99.9% of people will never understand. And she pulled it off, under the most amount of pressure ever.”
How has Leerdam fared at the Olympics?
Leerdam posted a time of 1:12.31 in the women’s 1,000m long-track speedskating race to set a new Olympic record last week in Milano-Cortina.
She also took home silver in the 500-metre event on Sunday, finishing 0.66 seconds behind Dutch teammate Femke Kok – who set a new Olympic record.
Leerdam already had one Olympic medal heading into the 2026 Games in Milano-Cortina. She captured silver in the 1,000-metres during the Beijing Games in 2022.