Speed skating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in travelling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long-track speed skating, short-track speed skating, and marathon speed skating. In the Olympic Games, long-track speed skating is usually referred to as just "speed skating", while short-track speed skating is known as "short track". The International Skating Union (ISU), the governing body of competitive ice sports, refers to long track as "speed skating" and short track as "short track skating".
Short-track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a length of 111.111 metres (364.54 ft). The rink itself is 60 metres (196.85 ft) long by 30 metres (98.43 ft) wide, which is the same size as an Olympic-sized figure skating rink and an international-sized ice hockey rink. Related sports include long-track speed skating and inline speed skating.
At the 1932 Winter Olympics, four speed skating events were contested. For the only time in the Olympic history, the speed skating were held as pack-style events, having all competitors skate at the same time. Women were allowed to compete in speed skating for the first time in history in a set of demonstration events. The IOC was reluctant to upgrade women’s events to full medal events, although the organizing committee of the Games advocated for the full inclusion of women’s events. The distances for women were 500 m, 1000 m and 1500 m. The pack-style racing would pave the way for short track speed skating, that would debut as a demonstration event at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary before becoming an official Olympic event at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville.
Long track speed skating has been featured as a sport in the Winter Olympics since the first winter games in 1924. Women's events were added to the Olympic program for the first time in 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics.
The 5000 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1924 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Saturday, January 26, 1924. Thirty-one speed skaters from thirteen nations were due to compete, but nine athletes withdrew, so in the end twenty-two speed skaters from ten nations competed. The Canadian athlete Charles Gorman abandoned the race after the first round.
The 5000 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1928 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Monday, 13 February 1928. Thirty-three speed skaters from 14 nations competed.
The 500 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Thursday, February 4, 1932. Sixteen speed skaters from four nations competed.
The 1500 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Friday, February 5, 1932. Eighteen speed skaters from six nations competed. Like all other speed skating events at this Olympics the competition was held for the only time in pack-style format, having all competitors skate at the same time.
The 10,000 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Friday, February 5, 1932, on Saturday, February 6, 1932, and on Monday, February 8, 1932. Eighteen speed skaters from six nations competed. Like all other speed skating events at this Olympics the competition was held for the only time in pack-style format, having all competitors skate at the same time.
The 1500 metres speed skating event for women was part of the demonstration sport programme of the 1932 Winter Olympics. The competition was held on Wednesday, February 10, 1932.
The 5000 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1936 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Wednesday, 12 February 1936. Thirty-seven speed skaters from 16 nations competed.
The 5000 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1948 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Sunday, 1 February 1948. Forty speed skaters from 14 nations competed.
The 5000 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1952 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Sunday, 17 February 1952, at 4 p.m. Thirty-five speed skaters from 13 nations competed.
Speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at the Richmond Olympic Oval, Richmond, British Columbia, between 13 and 27 February 2010.
The 5000 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1956 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on naturally frozen ice on the Lake Misurina. It was held on Sunday, 29 January 1956, started at 11 a.m. and ended at 3 p.m. Forty-six speed skaters from 17 nations competed.
The 5000 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1960 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on the Squaw Valley Olympic Skating Rink and for the first time at the Olympics on artificially frozen ice. It was held on Thursday, February 25, 1960. Thirty-seven speed skaters from 15 nations competed.
The men's 5000 metres speed skating competition of the 2014 Sochi Olympics was held at 15:30 MSK on 8 February 2014 at the Adler Arena Skating Center. All the medals were won by Dutch athletes — Sven Kramer, who set a new Olympic record, Jan Blokhuijsen (silver), and Jorrit Bergsma (bronze).
Short track speed skating at the 2018 Winter Olympics was held at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung, South Korea. The eight events were scheduled to take place between 10 and 22 February 2018.
Short track speed skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics are scheduled to be held at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China. The events are scheduled to take place between 5 and 16 February 2022. A total of nine short track speed skating events will be held.
