Speed skating at the 1988 Winter Olympics was held from 14 to 28 February. Ten events were contested at Olympic Oval. For the first time, the women contested a 5000-metre race, the longest distance contested by women in speed skating.
Medal summary Medal table
East Germany topped the medal table with three gold medals, and thirteen total. Until the 2014 Winter Olympics, the thirteen medals were the most won by any country in speed skating in a single Games. The Dutch surpassed that total with 23.
The Netherlands' Yvonne van Gennip led the individual medal table with three golds, while Sweden's Tomas Gustafson was the most successful male skater, with two gold medals.
Men's events 500 metres 36.45 36.76 36.77 1000 metres 1:13.03() 1:13.11 1:13.19 1500 metres 1:52.06 1:52.12 1:52.31 5000 metres 6:44.63() 6:44.98 6:45.92 10,000 metres 13:48.20 13:56.11 14:00.55
Women's events 500 metres 39.10 39.12 39.24 1000 metres 1:17.65 1:17.70 1:18.31 1500 metres 2:00.68(OR) 2:00.82 2:01.49 3000 metres 4:11.94 4:12.09 4:16.92 5000 metres 7:14.13 7:17.12 7:21.61
Records The Calgary Olympic Oval was one of the fastest rinks in the world when it opened, with six new world records set, and all existing Olympic records bettered.
Event Date Team Time OR WR Men's 500 metres 14 February 36.45 OR WR Men's 1000 metres 18 February 1:13.03 OR Men's 1500 metres 20 February 1:52.06 OR WR Men's 5000 metres 17 February 6:44.63 OR Men's 10000 metres 21 February 13:48.20 OR WR Women's 500 metres 22 February 38.69 OR WR Women's 1000 metres 26 February 1:17.65 OR WR Women's 1500 metres 27 February 2:00.68 OR Women's 3000 metres 23 February 4:11.94 OR WR Women's 5000 metres 28 February 7:14.13 OR WR
Participating NOCs Twenty-one nations competed in the speed skating events at Calgary.
References