The speed skating at the Winter Olympics is proving to be one of the fastest ever recorded.
Olympic records are tumbling and of the first four gold medals to be won at the National Speed Skating Oval, each was won in a time previously never recorded at a Games.
The Netherlands have enjoyed early dominance over both men’s and women’s competitions, with the Swedish world champion Nils van der Poel answering back in the men’s 5000m.
It’s been a wave of orange, though, with Kjeld Nuis and Ireen Wüst completing a double in the 150m and Irene Schoute adding another gold in the women’s 3000m, with a number of events still to come at the ‘Ice Ribbon’.
Here’s all you need to know about speed skating.
How long is a speed skating track?
As per Olympic rules, the speed skating track must be 400m long. This is regardless of whether the competitor is in the inside or outside lane.
In short-track speed skating, the track is considerably shorter and is around 111m long, positioned within a rink about the same size as an ice hockey rink.
How fast do speed skaters go?
It depends on the event, as the races vary from 500m and a straight sprint to the endurance of a 10,000m race.
But Nils van der Poel averaged around 30 miles per hour (47kmp) when setting world records for both the 5,000m and 10,000m
