Speed Skating at the Winter Olympics

Speed Skating at the Winter Olympics: Speed skating is a skating discipline, which is held during the international skating competitions. The origin of speed skating dates back to the thirteenth century Holland, where people practiced skating for crossing the frozen water bodies. However, the speed skating competition was held for the first time during the seventeenth century. The first official speed skating competition was held in the nineteenth century. The sport is governed by the International Skating Union or the ISU at the international level.

Speed Skating in the Winter Games: Speed skating was included in the men's skating schedule at the 1924 Chamonix Winter Games. The sport was introduced to the women's program at the 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympics.

The events, which are contested during the Olympic speed skating competitions, are-

• Men's 500 m
• Ladies' 500 m
• Men's 1,000 m
• Ladies' 1,000 m
• Men's 1,500 m
• Ladies' 1,500 m
• Ladies' 3,000 m
• Men's 5,000 m
• Ladies' 5,000 m
• Men's 10,000 m
• Men's Team Pursuit
• Ladies' Team Pursuit

Categories of Speed Skating: Speed skating can be divided in various categories. The most common categories of speed skating are-

• Long track speed skating
• Short track speed skating
• Inline speed skating
• Quad speed skating

Rules of Speed skating: The International Skating Union or the ISU is authorized to set rules for speed skating at the international level. Some of the rules, which are applicable to the speed skating competitions, are

• The distance of the race during the speed skating competition is prescribed by the ISU in its rule-book.
• In the team pursuit, men have to race over 8 laps and women over 6 laps round the track.
• In the 500 meter skating event, both men and women have to race twice. The times of the two races are added to determine the winner of the event.
• Generally, a speed skating track can be an open, closed or covered ice track, which is oval in shape. The length and width of the skating track are fixed by the ISU rule-book.
• The track used during the Olympic skating competition is usually an artificial frozen ice track constructed as per the ISU standard.
• The skating track should be appropriately marked for the convenience of the competitors.
• In the speed skating competitions, the races are run anti-clockwise.
• The number of participants in the skating events is limited by the ISU.
• A number of officials are appointed to supervise the skaters during the competitions.
• The equipments used during the speed skating competitions have to meet the ISU standard.
• During the competition, a skater is not allowed to exchange any information with the officials or the other members of the team.
• A skater can be disqualified from the competition after commencing two consecutive false starts.
• Automatic time keeping device approved by the ISU is used during the speed skating competitions.

Medal winners in Speed Skating: The United States of America, Norway, the Netherlands, Russia and Germany are the leading nations in the field of the speed skating at the international level. Some of the speed skaters, who have become famous for4 their performances at the international level, are Richard Mcdermott, Jeanne Omelenchuk, Dianne Holum, Brian Arseneau, Norval Baptie, Valentine Bialas, Mary Blair Polaski, Ray Blum, Elaine Bodga Gordon, Chuck Burke, James Campbell, Pete Cefalu, Celeste Chlapaty Schultz, Michel Conroy, Edgar J. Dame, Jr, Harley Davidson, William D. Disney, J. O'Neil Farrell, Charles T. Fisher, Sarah Docter-Williams, Robert Fitzgerald, Eric Flaim, Dorothy Franey Langkop, Andy Gabel, Leo Freisinger, Erik Henriksen, Patricia Gibson Marshall, Peggy Hartrich Clarke, Madeline Horn, Daniel J. Immerfall, John S. Johnson, Harry Kaad, Kit Klein, Kim Kostron Nyquist, Delbert Lamb, Edmund Lamy, Carmelita Landry Bernard, William T. Lanigan, Kenneth B. Lebel, Arthur Mathew Longsjo, Barbara Marchetti De Schepper, Don McDermott, Everett McGowan, Bobby McLean, Roy McWhirter, Liza Merrifield Dennehy, Mary Meyers Berger, Joe Moore, Peter A. Mueller, Elsie Muller McLave, Edward L. Murphy, Loretta Neitzel, John Nilssen, Mary Novak Sand, Ben O'Sickey, Dr. Michael P. Passarella, Tom Plant, Allan Potts, Alan Rattray, Lorraine Sabbe, Gene Sandvig, Edward Schroeder, Jack Shea, Art Staff, Lydia Stephans, Cathy Turner, Jack Walters, Patrick Wentland, John Werket, Morris Wood, Michael Woods, Bonnie Blair, John Wurster, Richard Wurster, Diane L. Wynne and Sheila Young Ochowicz.