Johann Olav Koss
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Johann Olav Koss (born 29 October 1968 in Drammen, Norway) is a former speed skater, considered to be one of the best in history.
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Short biography
Johann Olav Koss became the Norwegian Junior Champion in 1987, but he could not compete with the top skaters in the 1986 and 1987 World Junior Championships. In 1988, he debuted with the seniors at the World Championships in Alma-Ata, but failed to qualify for the final distance. The following year he finished 8th in the same tournament (after a 15th place in the European Allround Championships), placing second in the 1,500 m. His breakthrough came in 1990, winning the World Allround Championships in Innsbruck, Austria. The following four years, he would win two more world titles (1991 and 1994), finishing 2nd in 1993 and 3rd in 1992. He won the European Allround Championships in 1991 and finished 3rd in the next three editions. Koss had a total of 23 World Cup wins, while winning 4 World Cup titles (the 1,500 m in 1990 and 1991, and the combined 5,000/10,000 m in 1991 and 1994).
Koss made his Olympic debut at the 1992 Winter Olympics, finishing 7th in the 5,000 m, five days after undergoing surgery because of an inflamed pancreas. He would recover to win gold in the 1,500 m (by only 0.04 seconds over fellow countryman Ådne Søndrål) and silver in the 10,000 m (behind Dutch skater Bart Veldkamp).
In 1994, the final year of his career, Koss also gained fame outside the speed skating world by winning three gold medals at the 1994 Winter Olympics in his native Norway, winning all races in new world records, two of which would remain unbeaten until the clap skate era. For his performance, he was named Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" in 1994, together with Bonnie Blair. In addition, he received the Oscar Mathisen Award three times: in 1990, 1991, and 1994.
After his speed skating career, Koss became a UNICEF ambassador and a member of the International Olympic Committee (until 2002). He married Canadian businessperson and politician Belinda Stronach on 31 December 1999, but they divorced in 2003. Koss is now the CEO of the International Humanitarian Organisation, Right To Play. Right To Play uses sport and play as a tool for the development of children and youth in the most disadvantaged areas of the world.
Medals
An overview of medals won by Koss at important championships he participated in, listing the years in which he won each:
| Championships | Gold medal | Silver medal | Bronze medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics | 1992 (1,500 m) 1994 (1,500 m) 1994 (5,000 m) 1994 (10,000 m) | 1992 (10,000 m) | |
| World Allround | 1990 1991 1994 | 1993 | 1992 |
| European Allround | 1991 | 1992 1993 1994 | |
| Norwegian Allround | 1991 1992 1993 1994 | 1989 1990 | |
| Norwegian Single Distance | 1989 (1,500 m) 1989 (5,000 m) 1990 (1,500 m) 1990 (5,000 m) 1990 (10,000 m) 1991 (1,500 m) 1991 (5,000 m) 1991 (10,000 m) 1993 (1,000 m) 1993 (5,000 m) 1994 (1,500 m) | 1989 (1,000 m) 1990 (1,000 m) 1992 (1,000 m) 1992 (5,000 m) | 1988 (10,000 m) 1991 (1,000 m) 1992 (1,500 m) 1994 (5,000 m) |
World records
Over the course of his career, Koss skated 10 world records:
| Distance | Result | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,000 m | 3:57.52 | 13 March 1990 | Heerenveen |
| 5,000 m | 6:41.73 | 9 February 1991 | Heerenveen |
| 10,000 m | 13:43.54 | 10 February 1991 | Heerenveen |
| Big combination | 157.396 | 26 February 1991 | Heerenveen |
| 5,000 m | 6:38.77 | 22 January 1993 | Heerenveen |
| 5,000 m | 6:36.57 | 13 March 1993 | Heerenveen |
| 5,000 m | 6:35.53 | 4 December 1993 | Hamar |
| 5,000 m | 6:34.96 | 13 February 1994 | Hamar |
| 1,500 m | 1:51.29 | 16 February 1994 | Hamar |
| 10,000 m | 13:30.55 | 20 February 1994 | Hamar |
Personal records
| Distance | Result | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 37.98 | 7 January 1994 | Hamar |
| 1,000 m | 1:14.9 | 10 January 1993 | Hamar |
| 1,500 m | 1:51.29 | 16 February 1994 | Hamar |
| 3,000 m | 3:57.52 | 13 March 1990 | Heerenveen |
| 5,000 m | 6:34.96 | 13 February 1994 | Hamar |
| 10,000 m | 13:30.55 | 20 February 1994 | Hamar |
Koss was number one on the Adelskalender, the all-time allround speed skating ranking, for a total of 1,998 days, divided over three periods between 1992 and 1997. He has an Adelskalender score of 155.099 points.
References
See also
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