Göran CLAESON

Göran Claeson enjoyed his greatest competitive year in 1973. With his largest rivals retiring or turning pro after the Sapporo Olympics, he claimed both the European and World Allround Championships. Claeson would retain his European title in 1974, while placing third in that year's Worlds. Earlier, he had already been runner-up at the Worlds (1969, 1971) and third at the Europeans (1969-70). Due to his great middle distances, Claeson also performed well in the World Sprint Championships, placing 5th in 1970 and 8th in 1973. The 1972 Olympic season was nearly a failure for the Stockholm skater, finishing just out of the medals in most major events. However, he saved his season with a third place in the Olympic 1,500 m, beating out Bjørn Tveter by a mere 0.05 seconds. Claeson also won seven Swedish allround titles (1969-1975) and 18 distance titles over 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 m. In 1969, he bettered the allround points world record, and his 1973 World Championship win also earned him the Oscar Mathisen Trophy of that season. After his speed skating career, Claeson worked for a large Swedish insurer, Folksam. He also stayed active in speed skating, as a youth trainer.

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.2 (1972); 1000 – 1:20.2 (1971); 1500 – 2:00.1 (1971); 5000 – 7:17.0 (1969); 10000 – 15:18.7 (1971).