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 23 April 1986) is a retired Dutch long track speed skater. He is one of the most successful speed skaters of all time.

Sven Kramer won a record nine World Allround Championships. He also won a record ten European Allround Championships. He is famous for winning the 5000 meters at three different Winter Olympics: Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, and Pyeongchang 2018.

He also won 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 used to hold world records in the 5000 meter, 10,000 meter, and team pursuit events. He retired from speed skating in 2022.

Personal Life

Sven Kramer was born in Heerenveen, Netherlands. His father, Yep Kramer, was also a speed skater. His older brother, Brecht Kramer, is also a speed skater.

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

For his amazing achievements in sports, Sven Kramer has received high honors in the Netherlands. He was made a Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2010. In 2022, he was further honored as an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

Speed Skating Career

Early Career

Sven Kramer started his career strong. In 2004, he 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 took home a bronze medal at the World Allround Championships in 2005.

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. After this, he moved up to compete as a senior speed skater.

Olympic Debut and First World Records

At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Sven won a silver medal in the 5000 m. He also won a bronze medal in the team pursuit event. In this race, his team was leading, but Sven accidentally fell. They still managed to win bronze later.

During 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

The 2006–2007 season was a big one for Kramer. He won his first European Allround Champion title in Italy. He then became World Allround Champion for the first time. He set new world records in the 10,000 m and the team pursuit. He was named "Skater of the Year."

In the 2007–2008 season, Kramer continued his winning streak. He won the European Allround Championship and the World Allround Championship for the second time. He was awarded the Oscar Mathisen Award for his four world records in 2007. He was again named "Skater of the Year."

More Wins and Olympic Gold

Kramer kept dominating in the 2008–2009 season. He won national titles in 1500 m, 5000 m, and 10,000 m. He also won the European and World Allround Championships again. At the World Single Distance Championships, he won three gold medals. He was chosen as "Skater of the Year" for the third time.

At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Sven Kramer was expected to win many medals. He won the gold medal in the 5000 meters race with a new Olympic record. However, in the 10,000 meter event, he was disqualified for changing lanes incorrectly. This mistake was due to wrong directions from his coach.

Despite this, Kramer went on to win his fourth straight World Allround Championship. This was a historic achievement, as he became the first speed skater to win four world allround titles in a row. He was named "Skater of the Year" for the fourth time.

Return from Injury and Continued Success

Sven Kramer missed the 2010–2011 season due to a leg injury. He returned in the 2011–2012 season, winning his fifth European allround championship. He also won his fifth World Allround Championship, tying a record that had stood since 1914.

In the 2012–2013 season, Kramer set new records. He won his sixth European allround championship, tying another record. He also won his sixth World Allround Championship, setting a new record for most wins.

Sochi and Pyeongchang Olympics

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 and a gold medal in the team pursuit.

He continued to win European and World Allround titles in the following years.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Kramer won his third straight 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.

Records

Personal Records

These are Sven Kramer's best times in different speed skating distances.

World Records

Sven Kramer has set several world records during his career. A world record is the fastest time ever recorded in a specific event.

Olympic Records

These are the fastest times recorded at the Olympic Games. Sven Kramer holds two Olympic records.

Medals Won

Sven Kramer has won many medals throughout his career at different championships.

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

• 

  Sven Kramer at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver

• 

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

See also

In Spanish: Sven Kramer para niños