ISU

Hong Zhang (CHN) handed China the first speed skating gold, when she won the ladies’ 1000m in Sochi four years ago. This time around, she’s not high up the list of favorites. Her preparations for PyeongChang 2018 have been plagued by a long struggle to overcome the pain she feels in her knees.

Esmee Visser (NED) came, saw and conquered in the ladies’ 5000m at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 on Friday. The 22-year-old held two-fold Olympic champion Martina Sáblíková (CZE) off a third consecutive title in a track record time of 6:50.23. The 30-year-old Czech took silver and Natalia Voronina (OAR) grabbed bronze.

Martina Sáblíková (CZE) is going for a third consecutive Olympic 5000m title at the Gangneung Olympic Oval on Friday February 16. The Czech endurance specialist could become the second lady to win this event three times in a row after Claudia Pechstein (GER), who took gold in 1994-2002.

Ted-Jan Bloemen grabbed the first non-Dutch speed skating gold in a new Olympic 10000m record of 12:39.77 at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games. The Canadian world record holder caused a big upset in the Dutch camp, when he kept Sven Kramer (NED) off the only title he missed, and still misses, in his trophy cabinet.

The 10,000m gold is the last major omission in Sven Kramer’s (NED) trophy cabinet. It’s the event he should have won twice, but never did. The 31-year-old Dutchmen is on a mission at PyeongChang 2018, but it is not going to be a walk in the park on Thursday night.

Jorien ter Mors (NED) maintained her perfect Olympic Speed Skating record, seizing gold in the ladies’ 1000m on Wednesday. Favorite Nao Kodaira (JPN), who won three World Cup 1000m races this season, had to settle for silver and her compatriot Miho Takagi added a bronze to Monday’s 1500m silver.

After having won all 1500m World Cup races in which she started, Miho Takagi (JPN) was the red-hot favorite to win the distance at PyeongChang 2018, but record champion Ireen Wüst (NED) edged her out by 0.2 seconds on Monday. The 23-year-old Japanese was left with silver, but her Olympic campaign is far from over yet.

Three wins in four World Cup races and a world record in Salt Lake City. Nao Kodaira (JPN) is the clear-cut favorite for the Ladies’ 1000m at the Gangneung Olympic Oval on Wednesday. Competition will be tough, however and anything can happen.

Kjeld Nuis (NED) finally took his long-awaited Olympic gold. The 28-year-old world champion won the 1500m in 1:44.01 at the Gangneung Olympic Oval on Tuesday. His team-mate Patrick Roest (NED) grabbed silver in 1:44.86, and the Korean home crowd loudly cheered for Min Seok Kim (KOR), who ran away with the bronze in 1:44.93.

Ted-Jan Bloemen started his maiden Olympic campaign with a silver medal in the 5000m on Sunday. The 31-year-old endurance specialist couldn’t have done it without the help of Team Canada. “I chose a different path, and it turned out better than I could have hoped,” he said after the race.

It’s called the Race of the Kings and it’s lived up to its reputation in the past. The men’s 1500m is a guarantee for exciting competition. Specialists must combine raw sprinting speed with the stamina of an endurance rider to get it right.

Ireen Wüst took her fifth Oympic title and her tenth Olympic medal to become the most decorated speed skater in history on Monday.

Miho Takagi (JPN) set an immaculate 1500m World Cup streak so far this season. The 23-year-old Japanese skater is the woman to beat when it comes to the middle distance this season, but the competition is tough.

Sven Kramer (NED) has re-written the history books of Speed Skating again. The 31-year-old Dutchman skated a new Olympic record in 6:09.76, to become the first speed skater to win three consecutive Olympic 5000m titles.

From a phone call in early 2017 to an Olympic title in February 2018. Carlijn Achtereekte’s (NED) 3000m gold was unexpected, but the Dutch skater had a plan and stuck to it. After having swapped from team to team for several years, Achtereekte felt that she had never lived up to her real potential and she decided to call Jac Orie (NED), coach of the successful trade team of, among others, Sven Kramer (NED).