Sven Kramer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sven Kramer

Sven Kramer after winning the 2009 European Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen
Personal information
Nationality	Dutch
Born	(1986-04-23) 23 April 1986 (age 39) Heerenveen, Netherlands
Height	1.87 m
Weight	83 kg
Website	www.svenkramer.nl
Sport
Country	Netherlands
Sport	Speed skating
Event(s)	5000 m, 10000 m
Turned pro	2003
Retired	2022
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	500 m: 36.17 (2009) 1500 m: 1:43.54 (2009) 3000 m: 3:37.39 (2019) 5000 m: 6:03:32 (2007) 10 000 m: 12:38.89 (2017)
Medal record Men's speed skating Representing  Netherlands Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 4 2 3 World Allround 9 0 3 World Distance 21 3 2 European Allround 10 1 0 European Distance 2 1 0 World Junior 1 1 0 Olympic Games Gold 2010 Vancouver 5000 m Gold 2014 Sochi 5000 m Gold 2014 Sochi Team pursuit Gold 2018 Pyeongchang 5000 m Silver 2006 Turin 5000 m Silver 2014 Sochi 10,000 m Bronze 2006 Turin Team pursuit Bronze 2010 Vancouver Team pursuit Bronze 2018 Pyeongchang Team pursuit World Allround Championships Gold 2007 Heerenveen Allround Gold 2008 Berlin Allround Gold 2009 Hamar Allround Gold 2010 Heerenveen Allround Gold 2012 Moscow Allround Gold 2013 Hamar Allround Gold 2015 Calgary Allround Gold 2016 Berlin Allround Gold 2017 Hamar Allround Bronze 2005 Moscow Allround Bronze 2006 Calgary Allround Bronze 2019 Calgary Allround World Single Distance Championships Gold 2007 Salt Lake City 5000 m Gold 2007 Salt Lake City 10,000 m Gold 2007 Salt Lake City Team pursuit Gold 2008 Nagano 5000 m Gold 2008 Nagano 10,000 m Gold 2008 Nagano Team pursuit Gold 2009 Vancouver 5000 m Gold 2009 Vancouver 10,000 m Gold 2009 Vancouver Team pursuit Gold 2012 Heerenveen 5000 m Gold 2012 Heerenveen Team pursuit Gold 2013 Sochi 5000 m Gold 2013 Sochi Team pursuit Gold 2015 Heerenveen 5000 m Gold 2015 Heerenveen Team pursuit Gold 2016 Kolomna 5000 m Gold 2016 Kolomna 10,000 m Gold 2017 Gangneung 5000 m Gold 2017 Gangneung 10,000 m Gold 2019 Inzell Team pursuit Gold 2020 Salt Lake City Team pursuit Silver 2008 Nagano 1500 m Silver 2013 Sochi 10,000 m Silver 2020 Salt Lake City 5000 m Bronze 2017 Gangneung 1500 m Bronze 2019 Inzell 5000 m European Allround Championships Gold 2007 Collalbo Allround Gold 2008 Kolomna Allround Gold 2009 Heerenveen Allround Gold 2010 Hamar Allround Gold 2012 Budapest Allround Gold 2013 Heerenveen Allround Gold 2015 Chelyabinsk Allround Gold 2016 Minsk Allround Gold 2017 Heerenveen Allround Gold 2019 Collalbo Allround Silver 2005 Heerenveen Allround European Single Distance Championships Gold 2020 Heerenveen Team pursuit Gold 2022 Heerenveen Team pursuit Silver 2020 Heerenveen 5000 m World Junior Championships Gold 2005 Seinäjoki Allround Silver 2004 Roseville Allround

Sven Kramer (born April 23, 1986) is a famous retired Dutch speed skater. He is known for winning many championships. He holds the record for winning nine World Allround Championships. He also won ten European Allround Championships.

Sven Kramer was an Olympic champion in the 5000 meters. He won this event at the Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, and Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Games. He also earned a record 21 gold medals at the World Single Distance Championships. These included eight in the 5000 meters, five in the 10,000 meters, and eight in the team pursuit.

Kramer was once the world record holder in the team pursuit. He also broke the world records for the 5000 meter and 10,000 meter events three times. In 2010, he became the first speed skater to win four World Allround Championships in a row. He also won eight international allround championships in a row. He was unbeatable in 18 international allround championships from 2006 to 2017.

Sven Kramer retired from speed skating in 2022.

About Sven Kramer

Sven Kramer was born on April 23, 1986, in Heerenveen, Friesland, Netherlands. His father, Yep Kramer, was also a speed skater. Sven has an older brother, Brecht Kramer, who is also a speed skater. Sven is from Friesland.

Since 2007, Sven has been in a relationship with Dutch field hockey player Naomi van As. They have a daughter, born in October 2018, and a son, born in 2022.

In 2010, Kramer was honored as a Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. This was for his great achievements in speed skating, especially winning the 5000 m gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. In 2022, he was further recognized as an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau for his amazing career.

Sven's Skating Journey

Starting as a Junior Skater

In 2004, Sven Kramer finished second at the Junior Allround World Championships. In December 2004, at just 18 years old, he won the Dutch Allround Championships. This allowed him to compete in the European Allround Championships, where he won a silver medal.

He also placed third at the World Allround Championships in 2005. After that season, he joined the Dutch TVM-team. In November 2005, when he was 19, Kramer set a new world record for the 5000 m in Salt Lake City. He then became the Junior Allround World Champion. Kramer stopped competing as a junior when he turned 20 and became a senior speed skater.

Olympic Moments and World Records

At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Sven won a silver medal in the 5000 m. He also competed in the team pursuit. The Dutch team was leading, but Kramer fell, causing his teammate to fall too. They still managed to win the bronze medal.

In the 1500 m race, a screw in his skate broke just before he started, and he finished 15th. In the 10,000 m, he finished 7th. After the race, he was so frustrated that he damaged his skate blades.

At the 2006 World Allround Championships in Calgary, Kramer set a new world record in the 10,000 meter event. He won the two longest races but finished with a bronze medal overall.

Becoming a Champion

In the 2006–2007 season, Kramer won his first two 5000 m World Cup races. In December 2006, he became the national allround champion again. This was a good sign for his international championships.

On January 14, 2007, Kramer became the European Allround Champion in Collalbo, Italy. He set new world records for outdoor skating in the 5 km and 10 km races. On February 11, 2007, Kramer became World Allround Champion for the first time. He set a new world record in the 10 km race.

At the World Championships of 2007 in Salt Lake City, Kramer won three gold medals. He won the 5000 m, 10,000 m, and the team pursuit. He set world records in the 10,000 m and team pursuit. Kramer was named Skater of the Year.

Continued Success

In 2008, Kramer won the European Allround Championship for the second time. He also became World Allround Champion for the second time in Berlin, Germany. He received the Oscar Mathisen Award for his four world records in 2007. Kramer won three more gold medals in the 5000 m, 10,000 m, and team pursuit. He was named Skater of the Year for the second time.

In the 2008–2009 season, Kramer won three national single distance championships. He also won gold at the national allround championships and the European allround championships. At the world single distance championships, he won gold in the 5000 m, 10,000 m, and team pursuit. He also won gold at the world allround championships. He was chosen as "skater of the year" for the third time.

Vancouver 2010 and a Coach's Mistake

Sven Kramer at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver

At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Kramer was expected to win many gold medals. He won the gold medal in the 5000 meters race with a new Olympic record.

However, in the 10,000 meter event, Kramer finished first but was disqualified. This happened because his coach, Gerard Kemkers, gave him incorrect directions for a lane change. This mistake cost him a gold medal.

Despite this, Kramer went on to win his fourth World Allround Championship in a row. This was a historic achievement. He was named Skater of the Year for the fourth time.

Injury and Comeback

Kramer did not compete in the 2010–2011 season due to a nerve injury in his leg. He returned in the 2011–2012 season. He won his fifth European allround championship in Budapest. He also won his fifth world allround championship in Moscow. This tied the record held by other legendary skaters.

In the 2012–2013 season, Kramer won the European allround championships for a record sixth time. He also won the World Allround Championships for a record sixth time.

Sochi 2014 and More Records

Sven Kramer (center) won gold at the 5000 m in Sochi.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Kramer won gold in the 5000 m with a new Olympic record. He also won a silver medal in the 10,000 m.

He continued his winning streak, claiming his seventh European allround title in 2015 and a record eighth title in 2016.

Pyeongchang 2018 and Retirement

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Kramer won his third consecutive gold medal in the 5000 meter event. He broke his own Olympic record from 2014. This made him the only male speed skater to win the same Olympic event three times. He also became the first man to win eight Olympic medals in speed skating.

Sven Kramer announced his retirement in October 2021. His final competition was at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Records

Personal Best Times

Sven Kramer is currently ranked 4th in the Adelskalender, which is a list of the best all-time speed skaters.

World Records Set by Sven Kramer

Olympic Records Set by Sven Kramer

Medals Won by Sven Kramer

Championship	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Olympic Games	4	2	3
Dutch Single Distances	20	6	6
Dutch Allround	16	6	3
European Allround	33	8	2
European Single Distances	2	1	0
World Allround	29	4	8
World Single Distances	21	3	2
World Cup	73	13	6
World Junior	5	2	0

Images for kids

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  Sven Kramer after winning the 2009 European Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen

See also

In Spanish: Sven Kramer para niños

• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists