How fast are speed skaters in mph? Explaining Jordan Stolz's Olympic record and other top speeds and records

Speed is everything in many Winter Olympics events, but for speed skaters, it's quite literally the name of the game. 

Whether they are competing in the shortest event at the Olympics or the longest, speed skaters dazzle with their agility on the ice and often reach speeds the average person couldn't imagine.

2026 redefined speed skating at the Olympic level, with multiple Olympic records set within the first few days of competition, including brilliant performances by the USA's Jordan Stolz and Netherlands' Julia Leerdam. 

Here's what you need to know about speed skaters' actual speeds and some of the sport's world and Olympic records.

MORE 2026 OLYMPICS: Live medal tracker | Viewer's guide | Day-by-day schedule

How fast are speed skaters in mph?

Speed skaters can move at speeds that might be above some of your local speed limits. Here's a look at both short-track and long-track speeds.

Short-track

Short-track speed skaters can reach up to 35 mph, according to ESPN, often exceeding 30 mph.

Long-track

Long-track speed skaters have a much wider range of speeds. While about 37 mph is "typical" for a long-track speed skater, according to Britannica, some of the world's fastest long-track skaters have exceeded 60 mph.

MORE: Jordan Stolz's updated medal count, results from 2026 Olympics

Speed skating Olympic records

Here are the fastest speed skating times in Olympic history.

Men's Olympic records

Women's Olympic records

What was Jordan Stolz's top speed?

Stolz reached a top speed of 36 mph while setting a new Olympic record in the 1000m in 2026. When Stolz posted an even better time in a non-Olympic edition of the event in 2024, he averaged 34.2 mph, with his top speed almost certainly even faster.

MORE: How Jordan Stolz mounted record-setting comeback in Milan

Speed skating World records

Dutch speed skater Kjeld Nuis set a world record for speed when he reached 64 mph during an event in 2022, about one month after posting an Olympic-record time in the men's 1500m in Beijing.

Men's world records

Women's world records

MORE: Winter Olympics' 10 highest-paid athletes

How speed skating speeds are calculated

At the Olympics, speed skaters now wear censors that can provide data about acceleration and deceleration, according to NBC San Diego. Information on top speeds can still be difficult to find, but those censors offer the best window into the precise speeds of speed skaters.

Technology now used during speed skating events also includes lasers that are unseen but can measure finish times down to the thousandth of a second.

MORE: Jake Paul left in tears after Jutta Leerdam breaks speed skating record

How fast are speed skaters compared to other Olympic athletes?

Here are some of the top speeds Olympic athletes can reach, according to ESPN:

Speed skaters might not compare to competitors in the luge or skeleton, who can exceed 80 mph while lying horizontally, but anything upwards of 30 mph while on two feet, without any slope to gain momentum, is quite remarkable.

Hockey players can reach top speeds of just north of 20 mph, so the 30-35 range in short-track speed skating looks blazing in comparison.

MORE: How Olympics village ran out of condom in three days

How do speed skaters go so fast?

Speed skating at the Olympic level requires intense training, the right equipment and a firm grasp of aerodynamics. 

Speed skaters master the art of centripetal acceleration, which is "the accelerating force directed toward the center of a turn," according to the Alaska Beacon. When you see speed skaters leaning their body toward the ice without falling, they are using centripetal acceleration to skate on a curved path rather than a straight path that would force them to make harsh turns and slow down. 

The right equipment is a significant factor. While hockey players have baggy uniforms and protective pads, everything speed skaters wear is designed to make them go faster, from "clap skates" with longer blades to aerodynamic suits. 

What muscles do speed skaters use?

The short answer is that speed skaters use all of their muscles. Red Bull describes speed skating as a "full-body workout" that requires competitors to use muscles from "head to toe."

Of course, some muscles receive more of a workout than others. Business Insider noted in 2018 that it's no coincidence speed skaters are known for "bulging glutes and quads," as their upper legs supply the bulk of the power of they need on the ice. 

MORE: Youngest and oldest Team USA Olympians in 2026