1,500 metres, Men

Dutch skaters had won all international 1,500 m races earlier in the season. Youngster Falko Zandstra had won two World Cup races and the distance at the European Championships, where he had taken the overall title. The third World Cup of the season had been won by another Dutchman, Rintje Ritsma. The third man on the team was Leo Visser, who had dominated the 1989 speed skating season. He had retired to focus on his pilot studies, but had returned to complete his prize cabinet with an Olympic gold medal, having narrowly lost the 5,000 m gold in 1988. Behind the Dutch, Norwegian skaters Johann Olav Koss and Ådne Søndrål had also posted consistent top results. But Koss, the 1990 and 1991 World Allround Champion, had recently suffered health problems. A little over a week before the Olympic 1,500 m, he had been in hospital for an inflamed pancreas. His participation in the 5,000 m (seventh) had been considered near miraculous.

The start of the race was delayed due to poor conditions, but even then ice conditions were poor. Falko Zandstra, first of the favorites to ride, had an unimpressive last lap, and his 1:56.96 was not considered medal-worthy. After an ice preparation, this was proven by Leo Visser, who skated 1:54.90 in a solid race. As Ritsma stayed well behind with 1:55.70, Visser’s hopes for a medal grew. Johann Olav Koss then copied Visser’s lap times in heat 8, and a slightly faster last lap brought him home in 1:54.81. As Visser headed off the track in disappointment, a second Norwegian also beat his time. Søndrål, too, recorded the same splits, but only just missed out on the gold with 1:54.85. While Koss celebrated his remarkable victory, Visser closed out his skating career by throwing his skates into the audience.