Czechia's Metodej Jilek powered his way to his first Olympic gold Friday, winning the 10,000m and becoming the second-ever male teenager to finish first in an Olympic speed skating event. The first was Russian Igor Malkov, who won the 10,000m at 19 years and nine days old in 1984. 

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Jilek, who is 19 days, eight months, and two days old, crossed the finish line in 12 minutes, 33.43 seconds for the win. He skated the distance 5.65 seconds faster than silver-finisher Vladimir Semirunniy, who claimed Poland's first-ever medal in the distance.

Jilek's gold also marks Czechia's first in any Olympic men's speed skating event.

"It has been a lot of training and a lot of hard work — not just this season, but throughout my whole life," Jilek said. "A lot of hard work has brought me here. 

Five days earlier, he took silver in the 5000m, becoming the first Czechian man to earn a speed skating medal in any event and the youngest 5000m medalist of any kind on the Olympic level, but he wasn't happy with the result. He was aiming for more, he said.

"It feels amazing. It is a nice achievement, but today I am not super happy or super sad," Jilek told the media Feb. 8. "Before the race, I was hoping for a gold medal, which did not work out. But then again, I skated against the best 5k skater right now, so I cannot be too sad."

Jilek began his breakout 2025-26 season with an unofficial world record in the 3000m (rendered unofficial because there were no ISU officials present at the race). He then landed on the podium in four of the five long distance races contested on the World Cup circuit this season, winning once each in the 5000m and 10,000m en route to his first overall World Cup season title.

In his Olympic debut, Jilek has continued the legacy of Czechian dominance in the long distance races established by three-time Olympic champion and 16-time long distance world champion Martina Sablikova. Sablikova earned at least one medal in four of her first five Olympic appearances.

Dutch skater Jorrit Bergsma rounded out the podium, becoming the oldest-ever Olympic speed skating medalist at 40. Bergsma won the Olympic title in 2014 and earned silver in 2018.

The previous oldest speed skating medalist was Finland's Julius Skutnabb, who took 5000m silver in the 1928 Olympics at 39 years old.

The Dutch have now skated to the 10,000m podium in 11 straight Olympics.

Three-time reigning world champion and world record-holder Davide Ghiotto finished 6th in front of a home crowd.

Casey Dawson, who was the only American to qualify for the event, withdrew from the race Friday morning.

Speed skating competition continues Saturday, Feb. 14, with the women's team pursuit qualifying round and the men's 500m. Skaters are scheduled to take the ice at 10 a.m. E.T.