Ivar BALLANGRUD

Ivar Ballangrud is one of the all-time speed skating greats. In the Olympics, he has won four titles and seven medals in total, the latter record only being matched among male speed skaters by contemporary Clas Thunberg. Ballangrud also won the World Championships four times (1926, 1932, 1936, 1938) - a feat only bettered by two skaters. He was also successful in the European Championships, winning it four times (1929, 1930, 1933, 1936), with his 1930 victory achieved by winning all four distances. Ballangrud was best in the longer distances, and set five world records in distances ranging from 3,000 m to 10,000 m. In 1932, he also clocked a remarkable 16:46.4 in the 10,000 m, which was not recognized as a World Record because it was skated in a North American packstyle race. At home, Ballangrud won five Norwegian titles between 1926 and 1939. Retiring in 1939, Ballangrud attempted a comeback for the 1948 Olympics, but failed.

Ballangrud was born as Ivar Eriksen, but received a new surname when his mother remarried after his father's death. He worked in his own sporting good store in Drammen, and later Trondheim. His home town, Jevnaker, has honoured the speed skater with a statue on the town's market square.

Personal Bests: 500 – 42.7 (1939); 1500 – 2:14.0 (1939); 5000 – 8:17.2 (1936); 10000 – 17:14.4 (1938).