| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men’s speed skating | ||
| Competitor for the Netherlands | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1968 Grenoble | 1500 m |
| Silver | 1964 Innsbruck | 1500 m |
| Silver | 1968 Grenoble | 5000 m |
| Silver | 1972 Sapporo | 10000 m |
Cornelis Arie Verkerk (born 28 October 1942 in Puttershoek, Zuid-Holland), better known as Kees Verkerk, is a former speed skater from the Netherlands.
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Kees Verkerk was World Allround Champion in 1966 and 1967, and European Allround Champion in 1967. He won an Olympic gold medal on the 1,500 m in 1968 and a silver medal on the 5,000 m. Four years earlier (in 1964), he had won Olympic silver on the 1,500 m. In 1972, he won Olympic silver on the 10,000 m. As a result of his performances, he received the Oscar Mathisen Award in 1966 and 1967, the first skater to win this award twice, although until 1967, skaters were not eligible to win it more than once.
In 1973, together with Ard Schenk and a dozen other skaters, Verkerk joined in a newly formed professional league, but this lasted only two years. The end of this professional league also marked the end of Verkerk's career as a speed skater. Later, he was coach of the Swedish team. Verkerk met his Norwegian wife in 1972 and has lived in Norway since his speed skating career ended.
An overview of medals won by Verkerk at important championships he participated in, listing the years in which he won each:
| Championships | Gold medal | Silver medal | Bronze medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics | 1968 (1,500 m) | 1964 (1,500 m) 1968 (5,000 m) 1972 (10,000 m) |
– |
| World Allround | 1966 1967 |
– | 1969 1970 1971 |
| European Allround | 1967 | 1966 1969 |
1971 |
| Dutch Allround | 1966 1967 1969 1972 |
– | 1965 |
Over the course of his career, Verkerk skated eight world records:
| Event | Result | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big combination | 178.058 | 12 February 1967 | Oslo |
| 1,500 m | 2:03.9 | 26 February 1967 | Inzell |
| 5,000 m | 7:26.6 | 26 February 1967 | Inzell |
| Big combination | 172.058 | 10 March 1968 | Inzell |
| 10,000 m | 15:03.6 | 26 January 1969 | Inzell |
| 1,500 m | 2:02.0 | 9 February 1969 | Davos |
| 5,000 m | 7:13.2 | 1 March 1969 | Inzell |
| 1,500 m | 2:01.9 | 8 March 1970 | Inzell |
| Event | Result | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 39.9 | 15 January 1971 | Davos |
| 1,000 m | 1:21.4 | 19 January 1971 | Davos |
| 1,500 m | 1:58.9 | 16 January 1971 | Davos |
| 3,000 m | 4:14.9 | 2 March 1972 | Inzell |
| 5,000 m | 7:13.2 | 1 March 1969 | Inzell |
| 10,000 m | 15:03.6 | 26 January 1969 | Inzell |
| Big combination | 171.520 | 23 January 1972 | Davos |
Verkerk has an Adelskalender score of 168.033 points. Except for two days in February 1968, he was number one on the Adelskalender from 28 February 1967 until 5 February 1971 – a total of 1,444 days.[1] The Adelskalender is an all-time allround speed skating ranking.[2][3]
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Anton Geesink |
Dutch Sportsman of the Year with Ard Schenk 1966 |
Succeeded by Kees Verkerk |
| Preceded by Kees Verkerk and Ard Schenk |
Dutch Sportsman of the Year 1967 |
Succeeded by Jan Janssen |
| Preceded by Per Ivar Moe |
Oscar Mathisen Award 1966–1967 |
Succeeded by Fred Anton Maier |
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