Koss, Johann Olav

▪ 1995

      The highlight of the outstanding ice speed skating career of Norway's Johann Olav Koss came on Feb. 20, 1994, when he won the stamina-sapping 10,000-m race in the Winter Olympics at Hamar, Norway. His time of 13 min 30.55 sec lowered the record for the distance by an incredible margin of almost 13 seconds. He had clocked the previous best time three years earlier at Heerenveen, Neth. The feat put beyond doubt the fact that the 25-year-old medical student was the world's best long-distance skater. Clinching a third world record in eight days, he had set new marks earlier of 6 min 34.96 sec for the 5,000 m and 1 min 51.29 sec for the 1,500 m. Not since 1980, when Eric Heiden of the U.S. won five Olympic gold medals at Lake Placid, N.Y., had there been a comparable accomplishment in the sport.

      A previous victory in the 1,500 m in the 1992 Olympics at Albertville, France, brought Koss's tally of Olympic gold medals to four. Other major achievements included three overall world championship titles—in 1990, 1991, and 1994. There was little doubt, however, that Koss's amazing Olympic 10,000 m would remain etched more indelibly in his memory than anything else.

      "I had hoped to beat the world record, but never dreamed I would do it by so much," he reflected. "It took quite a while afterwards to understand fully what I had achieved." He was determined to produce an exceptionally fast start and admitted afterward that his pace in the opening laps "actually scared me a bit." Even so, he went on to make a grueling event almost look easy. "I did not conscientiously use extra power at the outset. I was just gliding. It was fantastic." The 12,000 onlookers who packed the arena, including Norway's Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, offered the kind of inspiration that only a host nation could provide. "It's only once in a lifetime that you experience such an atmosphere, such good ice and, at the same time, be in such good form," said Koss.

      The three Olympic titles at one tournament equaled the performance of his fellow countryman, Hjalmar Andersen, who tripled in Oslo in 1952. Norway's cultural affairs minister announced that a new sculpture of Koss would be erected next to that of Andersen at the Hamar rink. Koss's 10,000-m time was three full minutes faster than that of Andersen, who, at the age of 70, presented Koss's medal.

      Koss, who was born on Oct. 29, 1968, wore specially developed lightweight one-piece skates for the Olympic competition. Designed by Finn Halvarsen, a former Norwegian national coach, they weighed some 200 g (7.1 oz) less than those of his rivals. Koss's humanitarian side was demonstrated by an altruistic gesture after the Winter Games, when he donated substantial victory bonuses of about $30,000 to the Olympic Aid fund. Some of the money was destined to help relieve suffering in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the capital of which, Sarajevo, had been the site of the 1984 Winter Games. (HOWARD BASS)

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▪ Norwegian speed skater

born October 29, 1968, Drammen, Norway

      Norwegian speed skater who was the dominant long-distance skater of the 1990s. At the 1994 Winter Olympics, Koss set three world records on his way to winning three gold medals on the ice track in Hamar, Norway, near the host city of Lillehammer.

      As a youngster Koss showed little promise as a skater, but he was determined to excel in the sport and was passionate about training. He eventually matured into one of the strongest skaters (both physically and mentally) in the world. The highlight of Koss's speed-skating career came on February 20, 1994, when he won the 10,000-metre event in the Winter Olympics. His time of 13 min 30.55 sec lowered the record for the distance by nearly 13 seconds, a feat that cemented Koss's place among the greats of the sport. It was his third world record in eight days. Earlier, he had set new marks of 6 min 34.96 sec for the 5,000-metre event and 1 min 51.29 sec for the 1,500-metre event. Previously Koss had earned a gold medal in the 1,500-metre race and a silver medal in the 10,000-metre race at the 1992 Games in Albertville, France. Other major achievements included three overall world championship titles, won in 1990, 1991, and 1994.

      After the 1994 Games, Koss retired from competition and pursued a career in medicine. He was elected to the International Olympic Committee in 1999.

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