Falko Zandstra

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Falko Zandstra
Falko Zandstra skating.JPG
Falko Zandstra
Personal information
NationalityDutch
Born (1971-12-27) 27 December 1971 (age 50)
Heerenveen, Netherlands
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight76 kg (168 lb)
Sport
Country Netherlands
Sport Speed skating
Turned pro1990
Retired1998
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)500 m: 37.89 (1994)
1000 m: 1:13.98 (1998)
1500 m: 1:50.90 (1997)
3000 m: 3:57.64 (1991)
5000 m: 6:39.57 (1998)
10 000 m: 13:46.96
1993)

Falko Zandstra (born 27 December 1971) is a former Dutch speed skater. Because of his thin legs he was also called de Gespierde Spijker which translates to the Muscular Nail.

Contents

Biography

Zandstra was born in Heerenveen, Friesland. He was a natural talent who had his career peak at a very young age. In 1990 and 1991 he became junior world champion. In 1991 he won with a world record in the small combination. In his international debut year 1992 he became European Champion Allround and finished second in the World Allround Championships, after Roberto Sighel. In that season he also won the World Cup at the 1500 meters and a silver medal at the Winter Olympics in the 5000 meters. A year later, in 1993 he became World champion and European champion again.

From 1994 on, his career went downwards. At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer he won the bronze medal in the 1500 meters and finished fourth in the 5000 and 10000 meters. He also won the 1500 meters World Cup again. In 1995 he finished second in the European championships. At the World championships that year, he fell during the 1500 meters when he threw his arm band (which is used to indicate in which lane a skater has started) over his own skate. Because of this he didn't qualify for the 10,000 meters.

For 49 days, from 23 January until 13 March 1993, Falko Zandstra was the leader in the Adelskalender.

After his career, Zandstra switched to marathon skating with little success and he quit skating in 1999. Today he runs his own company in roof and wall plating called Falko Dak & Wand in Heerenveen. He is married to former Dutch speed skater Ellen Linnenbank.

World records

In the course of his career, Zandstra skated nine world records, of which six were junior world records:

EventResultDateLocation
3000m junior4:02.1013 March 1990 Heerenveen
Small combination junior159.75317 February 1991 Heerenveen
Small combination 159.75317 February 1991 Heerenveen
3000m junior3:57.641 March 1991 Calgary
1500m junior1.53,262 March 1991 Calgary
5000m junior6:47.103 March 1991 Calgary
Small combination junior156.0593 March 1991 Calgary
Small combination156.0593 March 1991 Calgary
Big combination 156.88223 January 1993 Heerenveen

Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com [1]

Personal records

Personal records
Men's Speed skating
EventResultDateLocationNotes
500m 37.897 January 1994 Hamar
1000m 1:13.9815 January 1998 Heerenveen
1500m 1:50.9020 December 1997 Heerenveen
3000m 3:57.901 March 1991 Calgary
5000m 6:39.5718 December 1997 Heerenveen
10000m 13:46.9622 January 1993 Heerenveen

Source: www.isu.org [2]

Tournament overview

Season Dutch
Championships
Sprint
Dutch
Championships
Single
Distances
Dutch
Championships
Allround
European
Championships
Allround
Olympic
Games
World
Championships
Allround
World
Championships
Junior
Allround
1988–1989 12th 1500m

1989–1990

11th 500m
Gold medal icon.svg 1000m
8th 500m
Silver medal icon.svg 1000m
5th overall

8th 500m
4th 1000m
11th 1500m
Silver medal icon.svg 5000m
OBIHIRO

7th 500m
Gold medal icon.svg 3000m
Silver medal icon.svg 1500m
Gold medal icon.svg 5000m
Gold medal icon.svg overall

1990–1991

6th 500m
6th 5000m
11th 1500m
7th 10000m
5th overall
CALGARY

Gold medal icon.svg 500m
Gold medal icon.svg 3000m
Gold medal icon.svg 1500m
Gold medal icon.svg 5000m
Gold medal icon.svg overall

1991–1992

Gold medal icon.svg 1000m
Bronze medal icon.svg 1500m
5th 5000m
4th 10000m

Silver medal icon.svg 500m
Silver medal icon.svg 5000m
Gold medal icon.svg 1500m
Silver medal icon.svg 10000m
Gold medal icon.svg overall
HEERENVEEN

5th 500m
4th 5000m
Gold medal icon.svg 1500m
Bronze medal icon.svg 10000m
Gold medal icon.svg overall
ALBERTVILLE

10th 1000m
7th 1500m
Silver medal icon.svg 5000m
CALGARY

7th 500m
Bronze medal icon.svg 5000m
Gold medal icon.svg 1500m
Gold medal icon.svg 10000m
Silver medal icon.svg overall

1992–1993

NC 500m
Silver medal icon.svg 1500m
Silver medal icon.svg 5000m
Gold medal icon.svg 10000m

Silver medal icon.svg 500m
Silver medal icon.svg 5000m
Gold medal icon.svg 1500m
Silver medal icon.svg 10000m
Gold medal icon.svg overall
HEEREVEEN

Gold medal icon.svg 500m
Silver medal icon.svg 5000m
Gold medal icon.svg 1500m
Gold medal icon.svg 10000m
Gold medal icon.svg overall
HAMAR

4th 500m
Gold medal icon.svg 5000m
Silver medal icon.svg 1500m
Bronze medal icon.svg 10000m
Gold medal icon.svg overall

1993–1994

4th 1500m
Silver medal icon.svg 5000m
Gold medal icon.svg 10000m

Silver medal icon.svg 500m
6th 5000m
5th 1500m
5th 10000m
4th overall
HAMAR

4th 500m
Bronze medal icon.svg 5000m
Silver medal icon.svg 1500m
5th 10000m
Bronze medal icon.svg overall
LILLEHAMMER

Bronze medal icon.svg 1500m
4th 5000m
4th 10000m

1994–1995

Gold medal icon.svg 1500m
Silver medal icon.svg 5000m
Silver medal icon.svg 10000m

Gold medal icon.svg 500m
Silver medal icon.svg 5000m
Gold medal icon.svg 1500m
Silver medal icon.svg 10000m
Gold medal icon.svg overall
HEERENVEEN

4th 500m
Silver medal icon.svg 5000m
Silver medal icon.svg 1500m
Silver medal icon.svg 10000m
Silver medal icon.svg overall
BASELGA di PINÈ

7th 500m
15th 5000m
35th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall(26th)
1995–1996 5th 500m
5th 5000m
5th 1500m
4th 10000m
4th overall

1996–1997

4th 500m
Bronze medal icon.svg 5000m
4th 1500m
Bronze medal icon.svg 10000m
Silver medal icon.svg overall
HEERENVEEN

4th 500m
5th 5000m
Bronze medal icon.svg 1500m
5th 10000m
Bronze medal icon.svg overall
NAGANO

12th 500m
22nd 5000m
15th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall(14th)

1997–1998

7th 1500m
5th 5000m
Silver medal icon.svg 10000m

24th 500m
Gold medal icon.svg 5000m
Silver medal icon.svg 1500m
Silver medal icon.svg 10000m
11th overall
HELSINKI

5th 500m
9th 5000m
8th 1500m
8th 10000m
5th overall

Source: [3]

DNQ = Did not qualify for the final event
NC = No classification

Medals won

ChampionshipGold
Gold medal icon.svg
Silver
Silver medal icon.svg
Bronze
Bronze medal icon.svg
Dutch Allround
3
1
0
European Allround
2
1
2
World Allround
1
1
0
World Junior Allround
2
0
0
Olympic Games
0
1
1

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References

  1. "Falko Zandstra". SpeedSkatingStats.com. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  2. "Jochem Uytdehaage Personal best". www.isu.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
  3. "Skater Profile | Falko Zandstra | Men | Netherlands".
Awards
Preceded by Oscar Mathisen Award
1993
Succeeded by
Preceded by Dutch Sportsman of the Year
1993
Succeeded by
Preceded by Ard Schenk Award
1992, 1993
Succeeded by