# Kees Verkerk

Cornelis Arie "Kees" Verkerk (born 28 October 1942) is a former speed skater from the Netherlands.

## Short biography

Kees Verkerk was World Allround Champion in 1966 and 1967, and European Allround Champion in 1967. He won an Olympic gold medal on the 1,500 m in 1968 and a silver medal on the 5,000 m. Four years earlier (in 1964), he had won Olympic silver on the 1,500 m. In 1972, he won Olympic silver on the 10,000 m. Nationally, he won four Allround titles in 1966, 1967, 1969 and 1972. As a result of his performances, he received the Oscar Mathisen Award in 1966 and 1967, the first skater to win this award twice, although until 1967, skaters were not eligible to win it more than once.
In 1973, together with Ard Schenk and a dozen other skaters, Verkerk joined in a newly formed professional league, but this lasted only two years. The end of this professional league also marked the end of Verkerk's career as a speed skater. Later, he was coach of the Swedish team. Verkerk met his future Norwegian wife in 1972 and has lived in Norway since his speed skating career ended.

## World records

Over the course of his career, Verkerk skated eight world records:
| Discipline | Result | Date | Location | Note |
| Big combination | 178.058 | 12 February 1967 | Oslo | World record until 14 January 1968 |
| 1500 m | 2:03.9 | 26 February 1967 | Inzell | World record until 5 February 1968 |
| 5000 m | 7:26.6 | 26 February 1967 | Inzell | World record until 7 January 1968 |
| Big combination | 172.058 | 10 March 1968 | Inzell | World record until 2 March 1969 |
| 10000 m | 15:03.6 | 26 January 1969 | Inzell | World record until 14 February 1971 |
| 1500 m | 2:02.0 | 9 February 1969 | Davos | World record until 8 March 1970 |
| 5000 m | 7:13.2 | 1 March 1969 | Inzell | World record until 13 March 1971 |
| 1500 m | 2:01.9 | 8 March 1970 | Inzell | World record until 16 January 1971 |
Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com

## Personal records

Personal records :
| Discipline | Result | Date | Location |
| 500m | 39.9 | 15 January 1971 | Davos |
| 1,000m | 1:21.4 | 19 January 1971 | Davos |
| 1,500m | 1:58.9 | 16 January 1971 | Davos |
| 3,000m | 4:14.9 | 2 March 1972 | Inzell |
| 5,000m | 7:13.2 | 1 March 1969 | Inzell |
| 10,000m | 15:03.6 | 26 January 1969 | Inzell |
| Big combination | 171.520 | 23 January 1972 | Davos |
Verkerk has an Adelskalender score of 168.033 points. Except for two days in February 1968, he was number one on the Adelskalender from 28 February 1967 until 5 February 1971 – a total of 1444 days. The Adelskalender is an all-time allround speed skating ranking.
Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com

## Tournament overview

| Season | Dutch Championships Allround | European Championships Allround | Olympic Games | World Championships Allround | ISSL European Championships Allround | ISSL World Championships Allround |
| 1962–63 | GRONINGEN 12th 500m 5000m 4th 1500m 4th 10000m 4th overall | | | | | |
| 1963–64 | | OSLO 21st 500m 10th 5000m 15th 1500m 8th 10000m 12th overall | INNSBRUCK 1500m 9th 5000m 16th 10000m | HELSINKI 28th 500m 13th 5000m 20th 1500m 12th 10000m 11th overall | | |
| 1964–65 | AMSTERDAM 8th 500m 5000m 4th 1500m 10000m overall | GOTHENBURG 13th 500m 4th 5000m 8th 1500m 4th 10000m 8th overall | | OSLO 14th 500m 4th 5000m 19th 1500m 13th 10000m 10th overall | | |
| 1965–66 | DEVENTER 500m 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | DEVENTER 4th 500m 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | | GOTHENBURG 20th 500m 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | | |
| 1966–67 | AMSTERDAM 500m 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | LAHTI 4th 500m 5000m 1500m 3000m• overall | | OSLO 9th 500m 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | | |
| 1967–68 | AMSTERDAM 9th 500m 9th 5000m 1500m 7th 10000m 4th overall | OSLO 11th 500m 7th 5000m 9th 1500m 7th 10000m 8th overall | GRENOBLE 33rd 500m 1500m 5000m 5th 10000m | GOTHENBURG 9th 500m 5000m 5th 1500m 6th 10000m 4th overall | | |
| 1968–69 | HEERENVEEN 500m 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | INZELL 6th 500m 10th 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | | DEVENTER 22nd 500m 5000m 1500m 4th 10000m overall | | |
| 1969–70 | | INNSBRUCK 11th 500m 5000m 10th 1500m 4th 10000m 7th overall | | OSLO 10th 500m 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | | |
| 1970–71 | AMSTERDAM 4th 500m 8th 5000m 1500m 5th 10000m 4th overall | HEERENVEEN 16th 500m 5th 5000m 4th 1500m 10000m overall | | GOTHENBURG 12th 500m 5000m 10th 1500m 10000m overall | | |
| 1971–72 | DEVENTER 500m 4th 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | DAVOS 13th 500m 5000m 7th 1500m 10000m 4th overall | SAPPORO 8th 1500m 6th 5000m 10000m | OSLO 20th 500m 6th 5000m 9th 1500m 5th 10000m 6th overall | | |
| 1972–73 | | | | | SKIEN 7th 500m 5000m 7th 1500m 10000m 5th overall | GOTHENBURG 7th 500m 5000m 5th 1500m 5th 10000m 6th overall |
| 1973–74 | | | | | TYNSET 500m 4th 5000m 1500m 10000m overall | |
* ISSL= International Speed Skating League
source:

## Medals won

| Championship | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| European Allround Classification | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Olympic Games | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| World Allround Classification | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| International Speed Skating League | 0 | 0 | 1 |