Jordan Stolz talks about sharing Olympic gold medal with President Trump
· Yahoo Sports
Jordan Stolz does, in fact, have his medal back.
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The 22-year-old three-time medalist placed his gold medal from his 500-meter performance at the Milan Winter Olympic Games around the neck of President Donald Trump on Friday, June 5, to which Trump joked that he would keep the medal forever.
The exchange made a bit of a digital media splash that was kind of funny during Trump’s visit to Wisconsin.
On Friday night, after Stolz returned to his home in Kewaskum, he shared more details about his exchange with the president, and why he wanted to accept the invitation from Trump.
Stolz said he received the invitation on Tuesday to attend President Trump’s stop in Wisconsin. The visit, to Custer Farms in Chippewa Falls, for a roundtable discussion on agricultural issues, also included offensive lineman Joe Thomas, as well as local farmers and Republican supporters.
“I was a little bit hesitant at first. And then I thought, well, the president is asking me to come to this event,” said Stolz. “And to me, being recognized, because I'm a speed skater… like the fact that the president actually cares about something in speed skating – that really means a lot. So of course, I have to go.”
Stolz knew that mixing politics and sport could be risky but wanted to attend the event anyway for numerous reasons.
“I thought it was good that he would recognize speed skating and that he actually liked it because it's kind of a smaller sport, you know,” said Stolz.
Stolz brought all three of his medals – two golds, and one silver – to the Trump event, but his decision to place one of the medals over Trump’s head and around his neck was impulsive.
“I could just kind of see in the moment, like, oh, maybe I should do this because he's really recognizing speed skating and stuff,” said Stolz. “So, I thought what better way to draw more attention to the sport than putting the medal on the president.
“…And he wanted to keep it.”
Stolz has made numerous appearances in the four months since the Olympics and always shares his medals with sports fans he meets. The ribbons on all of the medals are already worn in a bit and the silver medal has a scratch. But Stolz has always said yes, whenever anyone asked to hold one of his medals.
“Well, not everybody gets to see one, right? So, it's kind of something rare,” said Stolz. “If somebody's asking me to see the medal, it's kind of like they're showing appreciation for what I did.”
Stolz said the president wore the medal for the next 30 minutes or so of his speech.
At the conclusion of the event, Stolz met with Trump again and got the medal back.
“I came up to him, I shook his hand and he said he loves skating and stuff, and then I took the medal,” said Stolz. “And we took a picture.”
Stolz also took interest in the event itself, since steak is a staple in his diet and his family farms deer and elk.
“I learned a little bit about farming – a little bit more than what I knew before,” said Stolz. “I actually got a chance to talk with some of the farmers backstage. So that was kind of interesting. Other than that, like, I thought it was pretty cool to be in Wisconsin on a farm with the president being there.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jordan Stolz shares Olympic gold medal with President Trump