Olaf ZINKE

Olaf Zinke was a specialist at 1,000 and 1,500 metres. Although he had earned three German national titles, with five runner-ups, and had won two World Cup races, he had had little international success, and it was totally surprising when he won the gold medal over 1,000 metres at the 1929 Winter Olympics. Two years later at Lillehammer he raced only the 1,500 metres due to a groin injury. He later made his living as a car salesman in Berlin.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.74 (1990); 1000 – 1:14.53 (1990); 1500 – 1:53.64 (1994); 5000 – 7:04.23 (1988); 10000 – 15:00.6 (1988).