Johann Olav Koss
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| Olympic medal record | |||
| Competitor for Norway | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s Speed Skating | |||
| Gold | 1992 Albertville | 1,500 m | |
| Silver | 1992 Albertville | 10,000 m | |
| Gold | 1994 Lillehammer | 1,500 m | |
| Gold | 1994 Lillehammer | 5,000 m | |
| Gold | 1994 Lillehammer | 10,000 m | |
Johann Olav Koss (born 29 October 1968 in Drammen, Norway) is a former speed skater, considered to be one of the best in history.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Johann Olav Koss became the Norwegian Junior Champion in 1987, but he could not compete with the world 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 eighth in the same tournament (after a fifteenth place in the European Allround Championships), placing second on 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), while finishing second in 1993 and third in 1992. He won the European Allround Championships in 1991 and finished second in the next three editions. Koss had a total of twenty-three World Cup wins, while winning four overall 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 seventh on the 5,000 m, five days after undergoing surgery because of an inflamed pancreas. He would recover to win gold on the 1,500 m (by only 0.04 seconds over fellow countryman Ådne Søndrål) and silver on the 10,000 m (behind Dutch skater Bart Veldkamp).
In 1994, the final year of his speed skating 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 trained as a physician. He 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.
[edit] 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 |
| World Cup | 1990 (1,500 m) 1991 (1,500 m) 1991 (5,000 m / 10,000 m) 1994 (5,000 m / 10,000 m) |
1992 (1,500 m) 1992 (5,000 m / 10,000 m) 1993 (5,000 m / 10,000 m) |
1990 (5,000 m / 10,000 m) |
| 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) |
[edit] World records
Over the course of his career, Koss skated ten world records:
| Event | Result | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
[edit] Personal records
To put these personal records in perspective, the WR column lists the official world records on the dates that Koss skated his personal records.
| Event | Result | Date | Venue | WR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 37.98 | 7 January 1994 | Hamar | 35.92 |
| 1,000 m | 1:14.9 | 10 January 1993 | Hamar | 1:12.58 |
| 1,500 m | 1:51.29 | 16 February 1994 | Hamar | 1:51.60 |
| 3,000 m | 3:57.52 | 13 March 1990 | Heerenveen | 3:59.27 |
| 5,000 m | 6:34.96 | 13 February 1994 | Hamar | 6:35.53 |
| 10,000 m | 13:30.55 | 20 February 1994 | Hamar | 13:43.54 |
| Big combination | 157.257 | 9 January 1994 | Hamar | 156.882 |
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.
Johann Olav Koss has attended the bilderberg meetings.
[edit] References
- Eng, Trond. All Time International Championships, Complete Results: 1889 - 2002. Askim, Norway: WSSSA-Skøytenytt, 2002.
- Eng, Trond; Gjerde, Arild and Teigen, Magne. Norsk Skøytestatistikk Gjennom Tidene, Menn/Kvinner, 1999 (6. utgave). Askim/Skedsmokorset/Veggli, Norway: WSSSA-Skøytenytt, 1999.
- Eng, Trond; Gjerde, Arild; Teigen, Magne and Teigen, Thorleiv. Norsk Skøytestatistikk Gjennom Tidene, Menn/Kvinner, 2004 (7. utgave). Askim/Skedsmokorset/Veggli/Hokksund, Norway: WSSSA-Skøytenytt, 2004.
- Eng, Trond and Teigen, Magne. Komplette Resultater fra offisielle Norske Mesterskap på skøyter, 1894 - 2005. Askim/Veggli, Norway: WSSSA-Skøytenytt, 2005.
- Teigen, Magne. Komplette Resultater Norske Mesterskap På Skøyter, 1887 - 1989: Menn/Kvinner, Senior/Junior. Veggli, Norway: WSSSA-Skøytenytt, 1989.
- Teigen, Magne. Komplette Resultater Internasjonale Mesterskap 1889 - 1989: Menn/Kvinner, Senior/Junior, allround/sprint. Veggli, Norway: WSSSA-Skøytenytt, 1989.
[edit] External links
- Johann Olav Koss at SkateResults.com
- Personal records from Jakub Majerski's Speedskating Database
- Evert Stenlund's Adelskalender pages
[edit] See also
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Leo Visser |
Oscar Mathisen Award 1990–1991 |
Succeeded by Bonnie Blair |
| Preceded by Falko Zandstra |
Oscar Mathisen Award 1994 |
Succeeded by Gunda Niemann |
| Preceded by Miguel Indurain |
United Press International Athlete of the Year 1994 |
Succeeded by Jonathan Edwards |
| Preceded by Atle Skårdal |
Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year 1991 |
Succeeded by Vegard Ulvang |
| Preceded by Norway national football team |
Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year 1994 |
Succeeded by Bjørn Dæhlie |
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