Rintje Ritsma, 13 April 1970
After the retirement of
Johan Olav Koss
the focus of allround speed skating has once again moved to Holland, mainly
represented by Ids Postma, Rintje Ritsma and Falko Zandstra.
The latter had a disastrous 95/96 season and
the World Champion from 1993 never made it back to the international top. The
main threat to the Dutch has come from Japan, who, with traditionally very good
sprinters, also have provided some very good allrounders like Keiji
Shirahata, Toru Aoyanagi and Hiroyuki Noake and
from the American continent, personified by KC Boutiette, USA and
the Canadian brothers Neal and Kevin Marshall.
During 2001 Rintje Ritsma regained the World Champion title which he previously had
1995, 1996 and 1999 and he is
also a six times European Champion (1994-1996, 1998-2000). Before Nagano 1998 his
Olympic record was somewhat meagre; one silver and one bronze from Hamar 1994.
In Nagano Ritsma added 3 more medals to
his olympic collection, however, non of them gold. As it turned out his
compatriot Gianni Romme, the new king of the long distances, was just
too much for him.
Personal Records:
35.90 Calgary 20 February 1999
1.10.19 Calgary 20 February 1999
1.45.86 Salt Lake City 19 February 2002
3.49.29 Calgary 11 March 2004
6.20.26 Salt Lake City 19 November 2005
13.28.19 Nagano 17 February 1998
World Records:
1.51.60 Hamar 8 January 1994
156.201 Hamar 7/8/9 January 1994 (Big Comb.)
1.48.88 Heerenveen 20 December 1997
152.651 Hamar 6/7 February 1999 (Big Comb.)
#1 in Adelskalendern:
7 January 1994 - 15 February 1994
7 December 1997 - 25 November 2000
Last modified: Mar 12 2003
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