Amund Sjøbrend

Amund Sjøbrend was one of the Norwegian S’es, among the top international speed skaters at the end of the 1970s, along with Jan Egil Storhol, Sten Stensen and Kay Arne Stenshjemmet. He made his international debut in the 1972 ISU Junior Championships, placing fourth. In his first championships as a senior, the European Championships 1974, he was the big surprise. After winning both the 500 and 1,500 metres, and placing third in the 5,000 m, he was in the lead before the finishing 10K, but Göran Claeson was too strong, and beat him by 0.023 points. In the World Championships in Inzell later that season Sjøbrend had problems with the moist mountain air, and collapsed during his 5,000, forcing him to withdraw from the competition. In 1975 he won the National Championships, but from 1976-80 he was more or less in the shadow of his famous teammates.

He had no luck at the Olympic Games. In 1976 he was not qualified for his favorite distance, 1,500 m, and the changing ice conditions made it impossible for him to fight for medals in the 5,000 and 10,000. Before the Olympic season of 1980 he trained harder than ever before and ended up overtrained, not qualifying for the Games. In national races during the Games he proved to be in shape after all, and qualified for the Norwegian team for the World Championships, placing fourth. He had his best season in 1981, winning both the European and the World Title. The world title was not won his until the last lap of his 10,000 m. With one lap to go Stenshjemmet seemed to have the title in his pocket, but he did a poor 39.9 on his last lap, and Sjøbrend won the title by 0.106 points.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.62 (1977); 1000 – 1:19.4 (1981); 1500 – 1:56.32 (1981); 5000 – 7:08.88 (1981); 10000 – 14:58.71 (1981).