With Sochi 2014 two weeks away, this is the first of two posts on the speed skating events at Sochi. The first part deals with the long track, the real speed skating. Per ISU's quota standards, 23 countries will have at least one spot in either the men's or women's events.
As far as history is concerned, there have been three two-time winners in the 500m in the men. Yevgeny Grishin won gold twice (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 and so did Squaw Valley 1960), Erhand Keller (Federal Republic of Germany, Grenoble 1968 and Sapporo 1972), as well as Uwe Jens Mey (German Democratic Republic, Calgary 1988 and Germany, Albertville 1992). American Shani Davis is the only two time gold medalist in the 1000m, as he is also the two time defending winner of that event at Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010. Grishin also won twice in the 1500m at Cortina d'Ampezzo and Squaw Valley. Two others won the men's 1500m twice: Clas Thunberg (Finland, Chamonix 1924 and St. Moritz 1928) and Johann Olav Koss (Norway, Albertville and Lilehammer 1994).
Two skaters have won the men's 5000m twice: Ivar Ballangrud (Norway, St. Moritz 1928 and Lake Placid 1932) and Tomas Gustafson (Norway, Sarajevo 1984 and Calgary). However, it is the men's 10,000m which has the most gold medalists, as there have been 21 different winners of that event, with Lee Seung Hyun (Republic of Korea) as the most recent at Vancouver. Canada and Italy are the only countries to win the 8 lap team pursuit for men, which debuted at Turin.
On the women's side, Bonnie Blair (United States) won the 500m three times, the most in that event at Calgary, Albertville and Lillehammer. Blair also won the 1000m twice (Albertville and Lillehammer). The same with Marianne Timmer (Netherlands), who won at Nagano 1998 and Salt Lake City 2002. Lidia Skoblikova (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) won the 1500m twice, at Squaw Valley as well as Innsbruck 1964). Skoblikova also won the 3000m twice, and again at Squaw Valley and Innsbruck 1964. Gunda Kleeman (Germany) tied Skoblikova as the all time winners of the 3000m, with wins at Albertville and Nagano.
Claudia Pechstein (Germany) won the 5000m three times, the most in that event, at Lillehammer, Nagano and Salt Lake City. In the 6 lap team pursuit for women, Germany has won both so far. Just like the men's 8 lap event, the women's 6 lap event also debuted at Turin.
At the individual front, when it comes to gold medals in speed skating, Thunberg and Eric Heiden (United States) have the most gold medals with five each on the men's side, while Skoblikova has six gold medals on the women's side, the most individual gold medals in speed skating in the Olympics, man or women.
The Adler Arena (pictured above) is the venue for the speed skating at Sochi.
Up next: short track speed skating preview
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