Jutta Leerdam finally landed the precious metal. After snagging the silver in the 2022 Beijing Games, she now has her first career Olympic gold in Milan. Yes, yesterday Leerdam made history. She became another global sports icon by winning the gold medal in the women’s 1,000 meters. Leerdam set a new Olympic record with a time of 1:12.31, crossing the previous record set just minutes earlier by her teammate Femke Kok. 

Her victory led to a “Dutch 1-2” finish alongside Femke Kok, marking the first gold medal for the Netherlands at the 2026 Games. However, the moment was made more special by her boyfriend in the stands. It’s none other than American boxer and influencer Jake Paul. Paul was reportedly in the stands, cheering his heart out for the love of his life.

So, while we are celebrating victory and love during Valentine’s week, it’s worthwhile to know the story of Jutta Leerdam and Jake Paul.

How did Jutta Leerdam and Jake Paul first meet?

It was four years back in late 2022. Paul reportedly slid into Leerdam’s DMs to invite her into a podcast called BS with Jake Paul. Leerdam was initially skeptical and “wasn’t exactly swooning” when she received the message. Based on his online persona, she admitted she thought he might be an “arrogant d——-g” and did not expect ever to date him.

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Their first physical meeting took place in a hotel in Florida, a moment both recalled feeling nervous about. After meeting and talking, Leerdam found that Paul was the “complete opposite” of his brash internet personality. And that’s why now she describes him as sweet, genuine, and more introverted in real life. 

How did their relationship go from private to public?

It was back on April 12, 2023, when the couple went public on Instagram. Paul posted a series of photos with a humorous caption saying, “I am Dutch now.” Shortly after the Instagram reveal, Leerdam appeared on Paul’s podcast, BS with Jake Paul, in April 2023. This provided the first long-form public discussion of their relationship, where she famously stated he was “different in front of the cameras” compared to real life.

How do Jutta Leerdam and Jake Paul support each other’s careers?

So after making things official, there was no turning back for the couple. And truth be told, they didn’t want to. Both Leerdam and Paul got so into each other that they supported each other every step of the way.

Leerdam became a regular fixture at Paul’s boxing matches, including his victories over Nate Diaz in August 2023 and Mike Tyson in November 2024. And yesterday, Paul travelled to Milan to support Leerdam as she won the gold medal in the 1,000m. He was legit crying in the stands, later posting to social media: “You did it, my love. Olympic Gold. God is great and so are you.”

Ahead of her Olympic race, Paul shared a public message of support, telling her, “Today is your day, baby. You’ve worked your whole life for this”. Leerdam has reciprocated by praising Paul’s “work ethic” and “crazy determination,” calling him her champion.

And to manage their busy schedules, they find a way to connect. When Leerdam was training in the Netherlands, and Paul was based in Puerto Rico, they used “vlogs” and video updates to stay connected and involved in each other’s daily lives.

When and how did Jake Paul propose to Jutta Leerdam?

A love like theirs is difficult to find. Like Paul literally took a break from boxing following a jaw injury to focus on supporting Leerdam throughout the 2026 Olympic cycle. Interestingly, when you end up being lucky with something of this sort, you’ll not think twice before keeping it forever, and so they did.

Last year, on March 21, during a tropical vacation, Jake Paul proposed to Jutta Leerdam. The couple announced their engagement via Instagram the day after, on March 22nd. You want to know how it happened?

Paul led a blindfolded Leerdam to a balcony overlooking the island’s famous Pitons and the ocean. The balcony was elaborately decorated with white flowers, pillar candles, and a floor covered in white rose petals. As usual, Paul got down on one knee while both were dressed in matching all-white outfits. Video footage of the event showed both Paul and Leerdam becoming visibly emotional and tearing up during the request.

The cherry on top was the ring that had a 7.24-carat oval-cut center diamond, which cost around a million dollars.