Windhoek: Norwegian skater Sander Eitrem shattered the men's 5,000m world record at the speed skating World Cup in Inzell, Germany, clinching the event in five minutes and 58.52 seconds. Eitrem's remarkable performance marked the first time a speed skater has completed the distance in under six minutes, surpassing the previous world record of 6:00.23 set by Timothy Loubineaud of France in Salt Lake City, United States, last November.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Eitrem's victory in Inzell also secured him a third-place finish in the overall World Cup standings for the 5,000m. The 23-year-old skater expressed his disbelief and excitement at the achievement, stating, "It probably hasn't fully sunk in yet. Being the first under six minutes has been a dream since I was little, so the fact that I actually am the first, it's incredibly big."
The race saw Czech 19-year-old Metodej Jilek finishing second with a time of 6:01.98, which earned him the season title in the distance. Timothy Loubineaud, the previous record holder, placed third, trailing more than five seconds behind Eitrem.
In the men's 1,000m category, American skater Jordan Stolz continued his successful run by winning the final World Cup race of the season. This victory secured him the season title with a clean sweep of five victories in five races. Stolz also claimed the season title in the 1,500m event, having won gold on Friday.
In the women's events, Dutch athlete Jutta Leerdam emerged victorious in the 1,000m, setting a meet record with a time of 1:12.74. Japan's Miho Takagi followed in second place with a time of 1:13.43, and Dutch skater Femke Kok secured third with a time of 1:13.67. In the women's 3,000m, Norway's Ragne Wiklund claimed victory with a time of 3:54.74, while Joy Beune and Valerie Maltais took second and third places, respectively.
The ISU Speed Skating World Cup includes five stops this season, with the initial four serving as qualifiers for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Speed skating events at the 2026 Winter Olympics are scheduled to occur from February 7 to 21.