The speed skating suit worn by Jutta Leerdam at the Winter Olympics last month has been bought for $230,000 at auction by a Dutch superfan.
The skater, 27, who is the fiancée of Jake Paul, claimed gold and silver medals in Milan-Cortina, becoming a star of the Games after breaking the Olympic record to win in the 1,000m.
Leerdam made headlines when she unzipped her racing suit to reveal a white Nike sports bra after she crossed the finish line, which reportedly saw her pocket a $1million payday.
Now, that bright orange suit has been claimed by one bidder for a staggering $230,000 after a competitive bidding war that set a new record on memorabilia platform MatchWornShirt.
The ferocious bidding war saw the price rocket from $11,289 to a staggering $229,268 in just a few hours, with the winning bidder coming from Leerdam’s home nation.
The sale smashes the previous MatchWornShirt record held by Cristiano Ronaldo, whose jersey from a Portugal soccer game last year sold for just under $74,000.
Jutta Leerdam’s skating suit from her gold- and silver-medal triumphs has been sold at auction
Bids flooded in for the Dutch skater’s autographed suit that she wore for the Winter Olympics
The majority of the auction proceeds will now go back to a grassroots sports club where Leerdam began her career, IJsvereniging Pijnacker.
‘We are incredibly happy with this and feel a responsibility to carefully consider how we can best use this wonderful amount,’ said chairman Johan van Dam.
‘This contribution is truly of great significance for our club; we can now allow even more children to experience the joy of skating.’
The image of the visibly emotional Leerdam zipping down the suit quickly hit the back pages of newspapers and websites across the globe.
It was redistributed by Nike’s 298 million Instagram followers, with reports suggesting she could earn $1million from the sportswear giants as a result.
There were fears, however, that her post-race act could land her in hot water, given the IOC’s strict rules on advertising sponsors during the competition.
Yet it was later confirmed that the Dutch skater had committed no infringement.
‘I’m not a figure skating expert, but I understand that opening one’s suit after a competition is normal for skaters. Especially since the suit is very tight. It’s common practice and not a marketing ploy,’ said Anne-Sophie Voumard, IOC marketing director.
Leerdam’s escape has not absolved her from wider criticism, though, with the 27-year-old called out for her ‘diva’ behavior throughout the event, with her preference for luxury treatment not going down well.
Leerdam also claimed silver in the 500m speed skating in a profitable Winter Olympic turn
Leerdam’s brand is further burnished by her relationship with fellow sports star Jake Paul
Former Dutch footballer Johan Derksen led the charge of critics, slamming her decision to travel to Italy via a lavish private jet instead of travelling 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.
