The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo have continued a tradition of shocking outcomes, with athletes both rising to the occasion and falling short of expectations. The men's speed skating 1500m event was particularly notable for its surprise results. Despite being the reigning champion and world number one, Jordan Stoltz from the USA, often referred to as a 'speed skating monster', was expected to dominate. He had previously won gold in the 500m and 1000m events, even breaking a 24-year Olympic record in the 1000m race. However, in a surprising upset, he was dethroned in the 1500m by Chinese athlete Ning Zhongyan, who set a new Olympic record with a time of 1:41.98. This unexpected turnaround shocked many, given that Zhongyan had only recently been a dark horse in international competitions.