5,000 metres, Men

Eric Heiden had one gold medal, having already won the 500 metres, and was also favored at this distance. He had won the last three World All-Arounds, and won the 5,000 at that meet in both 1978 and 1979. He had only lost the distance one time in 1978-79 at a major meet. His biggest competition was expected to come from the Norwegian, Kai Arne Stenshjemmet. Stenshjemmet was the world record holder, with 6:56.9, set at Medeo in March 1977. He had been third at the 1979 World All-Around, and fourth in 1978, and was better at longer distances. Norway’s Tom Erik Oxholm started in the first pair and recorded 7:05.59, a mark for Heiden to shoot at in the second pair. Skating with Dutchman Hilbert van der Duim, Heiden was two seconds in front after 4½ laps, and defeated van der Duim by over five seconds, posting 7:02.29. It gave Stenshjemmet a goal and he set his lap times accordingly. Thru 10 laps he was ahead of Heiden’s pace, but at 4,200 metres he trailed by 1/100th of a second, and that was it. He had little left, and fell back a full second on the last two laps. Heiden had his second gold, but Stenshjemmet did hang on for the silver medal, with Oxholm getting bronze.