# Speed skating at the 1972 Winter Olympics

Speed skating at the 1972 Winter Olympics, was held from 4 to 12 February. Eight events were contested at Makomanai Open Stadium in Sapporo, Japan. This was the first Olympics at which electronic times were recorded to the hundredth of a second.

## Medal summary
### Medal table

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Netherlands (NED) | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| 2 | United States (USA) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | West Germany (FRG) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Norway (NOR) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | Soviet Union (URS) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 6 | Sweden (SWE) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Totals (6 entries) | Totals (6 entries) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 |
The Netherlands topped the medal table, with four golds and nine overall, led by Ard Schenk's three gold medals.
Schenk led the individual medal table, winning each of the three longer distance events. The most successful female skater was the Netherlands's Stien Kaiser, who won one gold and one silver medal.

### Men's events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 500 metres details | Erhard Keller West Germany | 39.44 (OR) | Hasse Börjes Sweden | 39.69 | Valery Muratov Soviet Union | 39.80 |
| 1500 metres details | Ard Schenk Netherlands | 2:02.96 (OR) | Roar Grønvold Norway | 2:04.26 | Göran Claeson Sweden | 2:05.89 |
| 5000 metres details | Ard Schenk Netherlands | 7:23.61 | Roar Grønvold Norway | 7:28.18 | Sten Stensen Norway | 7:33.39 |
| 10,000 metres details | Ard Schenk Netherlands | 15:01.35 (OR) | Kees Verkerk Netherlands | 15:04.70 | Sten Stensen Norway | 15:07.08 |

### Women's events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 500 metres details | Anne Henning United States | 43.33 (OR) | Vera Krasnova Soviet Union | 44.01 | Lyudmila Titova Soviet Union | 44.45 |
| 1000 metres details | Monika Pflug West Germany | 1:31.40 (OR) | Atje Keulen-Deelstra Netherlands | 1:31.61 | Anne Henning United States | 1:31.62 |
| 1500 metres details | Dianne Holum United States | 2:20.85 (OR) | Stien Kaiser Netherlands | 2:21.05 | Atje Keulen-Deelstra Netherlands | 2:22.05 |
| 3000 metres details | Stien Kaiser Netherlands | 4:52.14 (OR) | Dianne Holum United States | 4:58.67 | Atje Keulen-Deelstra Netherlands | 4:59.91 |

## Records

Seven of the eight events had new Olympic records set, with only the men's 5000 metres record remaining unbroken.
| Event | Date | Team | Time | OR |
| Men's 500 metres | 5 February | Erhard Keller (FRG) | 39.44 | OR |
| Men's 1500 metres | 6 February | Ard Schenk (NED) | 2:02.96 | OR |
| Men's 10,000 metres | 7 February | Ard Schenk (NED) | 15:01.35 | OR |
| Women's 500 metres | 10 February | Anne Henning (USA) | 43.33 | OR |
| Women's 1000 metres | 11 February | Monika Pflug (FRG) | 1:31.40 | OR |
| Women's 1500 metres | 9 February | Dianne Holum (USA) | 2:20.85 | OR |
| Women's 3000 metres | 12 February | Stien Kaiser (NED) | 4:52.14 | OR |

## Participating NOCs

Eighteen nations competed in the speed skating events at Sapporo.
* Australia (2)
* Austria (1)
* Canada (10)
* Finland (6)
* France (1)
* East Germany (2)
* West Germany (7)
* Great Britain (2)
* Italy (2)
* Japan (13)
* North Korea (6)
* South Korea (4)
* Mongolia (2)
* Netherlands (10)
* Norway (14)
* Soviet Union (9)
* Sweden (11)
* United States (16)