Ivar Ballangrud
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games • Other |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Full name | Ivar Eugen•Ballangrud (Eriksen-) |
| Used name | Ivar•Ballangrud |
| Born | 7 March 1904 in Lunner, Viken (NOR) |
| Died | 1 June 1969 in Trondheim, Trøndelag (NOR) |
| Measurements | 180 cm |
| Affiliations | Oslo SK, Oslo (NOR) / Drammens SK, Drammen (NOR) |
| NOC |  Norway |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 4 |
| Silver | 2 |
| Bronze | 1 |
| Total | 7 |
Biography
Ivar Ballangrud is one of the all-time speed skating greats. In the Olympics, he has won four titles and seven medals in total, the latter record only being matched among male speed skaters by contemporary Clas Thunberg. Ballangrud also won the World Championships four times (1926, 1932, 1936, 1938) - a feat only bettered by two skaters. He was also successful in the European Championships, winning it four times (1929, 1930, 1933, 1936), with his 1930 victory achieved by winning all four distances. Ballangrud was best in the longer distances, and set five world records in distances ranging from 3,000 m to 10,000 m. In 1932, he also clocked a remarkable 16:46.4 in the 10,000 m, which was not recognized as a World Record because it was skated in a North American packstyle race. At home, Ballangrud won five Norwegian titles between 1926 and 1939. Retiring in 1939, Ballangrud attempted a comeback for the 1948 Olympics, but failed.
Ballangrud was born as Ivar Eriksen, but received a new surname when his mother remarried after his father’s death. He worked in his own sporting good store in Drammen, and later Trondheim. His home town, Jevnaker, has honoured the speed skater with a statue on the town’s market square.
Personal Bests: 500 – 42.7 (1939); 1500 – 2:14.0 (1939); 5000 – 8:17.2 (1936); 10000 – 17:14.4 (1938).
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 Winter Olympics | Speed Skating (Skating) | NOR |
Ivar Ballangrud | |||
| 1,500 metres, Men (Olympic) | 3 | Bronze | ||||
| 5,000 metres, Men (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 1932 Winter Olympics | Speed Skating (Skating) | NOR |
Ivar Ballangrud | |||
| 500 metres, Men (Olympic) | ||||||
| 1,500 metres, Men (Olympic) | 3 h2 r1/2 | |||||
| 5,000 metres, Men (Olympic) | 5 | |||||
| 10,000 metres, Men (Olympic) | 2 | Silver | ||||
| 1936 Winter Olympics | Speed Skating (Skating) | NOR |
Ivar Ballangrud | |||
| 500 metres, Men (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 1,500 metres, Men (Olympic) | 2 | Silver | ||||
| 5,000 metres, Men (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 10,000 metres, Men (Olympic) | 1 | Gold |
Olympic Records
Records may have been broken subsequently during the same competition.| Games | Date | Sport | Event | Phase | Mark | Pos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 Winter Olympics | 11 February 1936 | Speed Skating (Skating) | 500 metres, Men | Final Standings | 43.4 | 1 |
| 1936 Winter Olympics | 12 February 1936 | Speed Skating (Skating) | 5,000 metres, Men | Final Standings | 8:19.6 | 1 |
| 1936 Winter Olympics | 13 February 1936 | Speed Skating (Skating) | 1,500 metres, Men | Final Standings | 2:20.2 | 2 |
| 1936 Winter Olympics | 14 February 1936 | Speed Skating (Skating) | 10,000 metres, Men | Final Standings | 17:24.3 | 1 |
Other participations
| Games | Role | NOC | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 Winter Olympics | Flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony | NOR |
Ivar Ballangrud |
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Led the Adelskalender (speed skating) (Allround – 11 January 1930 - 31 January 1937 and 29 January 1939 - 4 February 1942: 192.456 (11 January 1930; Davos, SUI), 192.056 (29 January 1935; Davos, SUI), 191.616 (18 January 1936; Oslo, NOR), 191.583 (26 January 1936; Oslo, NOR), 191.050 (2 February 1936; Davos, SUI), 189.306 (29 January 1939; Davos, SUI), 188.806 (31 January 1939; St. Moritz, SUI))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Speed Skating (3000 m – 29 January 1935 - 3 February 1942: 4:49.6 (29 January 1935; Davos, SUI); 5000 m – 19 January 1929 - 22 January 1933 and 18 January 1936 - 3 February 1941: 8:24.2 (19 January 1929; Davos, SUI), 8:21.6 (11 January 1930; Davos, SUI), 8:17.2 (18 January 1936; Oslo, NOR); 10000 m – 6 February 1938 - 3 March 1940: 17:14.4 (6 February 1938; Davos, SUI))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Speed Skating Championships (4–0–2 1927 Stockholm bronze: Allround; 1929 Davos gold: Allround; 1930 Nidaros gold: Allround; 1933 Viipuri gold: Allround; 1936 Oslo gold: Allround; 1938 Oslo bronze: Allround)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships (4–4–3 1926 Trondhjem gold: Allround; 1928 Davos silver: Allround; 1929 Oslo silver: Allround; 1930 Oslo silver: Allround; 1931 Helsinki bronze: Allround; 1932 Lake Placid gold: Allround; 1933 Trondheim bronze: Allround; 1934 Helsinki bronze: Allround; 1935 Oslo silver: Allround; 1936 Davos gold: Allround; 1938 Davos gold: Allround)