Jutta Leerdam was whisked away from the Winter Olympics in lavish style by her fiance, Jake Paul, despite being blasted for her ‘diva’ behavior ahead of the Games.
The Dutch speed skater, 27, claimed gold and silver medals for the Netherlands in Milan-Cortina, becoming a breakout star of the Games after breaking the Olympic record to win in the 1,000m.
Her fiance, YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul, celebrated her achievements with an exit worthy of a gold medalist.
The boxing star hoisted the athlete, who had her medals draped around her neck, onto his shoulders before carrying her towards the steps of a private jet.
Paul shared a video of the moment to Instagram, captioning the post: ‘From now on call me Jutta Leerdam’s fiance.’
The stunt came after her journey to the top of the podium was clouded by intense scrutiny over her ‘diva’ lifestyle and her preference for luxury travel arrangements.
Jutta Leerdam was carried onto a private jet by her fiance Jake Paul after the Winter Olympics
The speed skater was supported by the YouTuber-turned-boxer at Milan-Cortina
Former Dutch footballer Johan Derksen led the charge of critics, slamming her decision to travel to Italy via a lavish private jet instead of with her teammates.
‘Her behavior is horrible to me, like that of a diva,’ Derksen fumed prior to the event while speaking to the Dutch media about her high-profile public persona.
‘If I were her coach, I wouldn’t tolerate that. Gradually the whole of the Netherlands is starting to get a bit fed up with her behavior,’ he added sharply.
Leerdam further fueled the fire by skipping the Opening Ceremony, choosing instead to watch the event from her bed while her teammates marched in the stadium.
Images of her private jet – complete with custom flags and handmade cupcakes – had social media influencers and sporting fans alike deeply divided.
It later emerged during the Games that Leerdam could rake in a staggering eight-figure payday after her two-medal haul.
Leerdam is reported to have been able to make $1million (£730,000) for briefly exposing her Nike sports bra in the aftermath of the win, with the sportswear brand being just one of her numerous sponsors, which include SKIMS, Hema, and Red Bull.
But according to Professor Rob Wilson, a leading authority on the business and finance of sport, Leerdam’s earning potential is only expected to grow after the Closing Ceremony, and even see her follow in the footsteps of the Games’ most bankable star – and fellow Red Bull athlete – freestyle skier Eileen Gu.
It comes after Leerdam was branded a ‘diva’ for traveling to the Winter Games on a private jet
Leerdam’s success at the Winter Olympics has transformed her into a marketing force
Leerdam showed off her Nike bra after winning gold at the Winter Olympics last week
Although Leerdam is unlikely to hit the heights banked by Premier League footballers, Prof Wilson noted that her earning capacity is by no means insignificant.
‘Given her combination of podium success with the high social media engagement that she’s clearly had, you’re probably talking somewhere between £8m and £10m ($10.9m-$13.6m) per year, particularly during those peak Olympic cycles,’ Wilson told the Daily Mail.
‘I think that would be achievable if she continues to diversify beyond that sort of traditional sportswear, into products that will really accumulate her opportunity, whether that’s into things like beauty, wellness, or luxury goods.’
Leerdam has over 6.3m followers on Instagram, with a single post documenting her day after winning gold garnering 1m likes. Although her relationship with Paul has exposed her to new audiences, his various posts celebrating her success earned far fewer.
What is undeniable is that together, Paul and Leerdam represent a serious marketing prospect for brands.
