One lucky bidder is taking home a piece of Olympic speed-skating history — the racing suit worn by Dutch speedskating sensation Jutta Leerdam — and did so at quite the cost.
The Team Netherlands outfit that Leerdam wore while winning gold in the 1,000 metres and silver in the 500-metre event went up for auction, after she had finished competing at the 2026 Winter Games with bidding taking place over a week.
With the virtual gavel coming down on Saturday morning, one bidder splurged $230,441 US for the race suit, which is signed by Leerdam and had been put on display at the Staatsloterij TeamNL House in Milan during the Games.
Bidding had sat around $10,000 for a few days until near the deadline at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning, when things exploded. In just minutes, two competing bidders caused the price to skyrocket into six figures before culminating at the final total.
The 27-year-old speedskating star went viral during the 2026 Winter Games, unzipping the front of her uniform to reveal a Nike sports bra after winning the first Olympic gold of her career.
Leerdam, who is engaged to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, reportedly could have earned more than $1 million from the celebration after Nike posted an image of the emotional Dutchwoman on their Instagram feed.
The bright orange suit was one of several pieces of memorabilia that had been put on the block by the Dutch women’s speedskating team. Also up for auction on the Match Worn Shirts site were the suits worn by fellow medallists Femke Kok, Antoinette Rijpma-De-Jong and Merel Conjin.
However, Leerdam’s suit fetched far more than her teammates, with Kok’s tights the next most-expensive item in the grouping, going for $5,675.
Leerdam’s signed headband also was auctioned off, fetching a tidy $1,797.
The athletes themselves won’t be pocketing anything from the auctions, with proceeds going to the local clubs where they got their starts.
In a separate auction, Jens van ‘t Wout sold the jacket that he wore during the opening ceremonies for $3,500.
What did Leerdam post about her Olympic journey?
On Thursday, Leerdam posted a reflection on her time at the Olympics and what it took to get to the Winter Games and ultimately succeed there.
“Before I started this journey, I already won in life by having the most amazing people around me,” she wrote on Instagram.
“Two years ago I decided to build my own team. It was not an easy decision, but I felt it was right for me. I handpicked the best people in the field with the best energy and hearts.”
Leerdam thanked her coaches, trainers, teammates and off-ice partners, as well as her family for the support.
What did Jutta say about fiance Jake Paul?
She also paid tribute to her fiance, YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, for “being there” for her.
“Thank you to my fiancé for being there for me, for listening to me talk about this sport you didn’t even know before we met, every single day. For letting me be me and supporting me along this journey. The loving man you are. I love you Jake.”
Leerdam concluded the post, which several photos and videos from her time in Italy, with a thank to her fans and followers.
“I’m ending the season on a high. Becoming Olympic Champion completes my list of dreams. I feel very fulfilled,” she wrote.
“Let this journey called life continue & make the next chapter even more beautiful. I hope you’re all enjoying the ride.”
Leerdam’s massive potential payday
Leerdam was one of the biggest stars of the Olympics, earning two medals and capturing the attention of fans around the world.
And she might have raked in roughly $1 million for simply unzipping the front of her uniform post-race.
According to one advertising expert, Nike – whose sports bra was on display as Leerdam celebrated her in the 1,000m speed skating event last week – could be forking over big bucks to the blonde beauty.
After winning the event last Monday, breaking the Olympic record in the process, Leerdam unzipped her racing suit to show off the white Nike undergarment as she cooled down after the tough race.
As the image 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 Frederique de Laat, founder of Branthlete – a marketing agency specializing in female athlete advertising – 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.