Reidar Liaklev
Encyclopedia
Reidar Liaklev was a speed skater
from Norway
who won the gold medal at the 1948 Winter Olympics
of St. Moritz
. Liaklev was a long distance specialist, but still managed to win the European Allround Championships
.
Liaklev won bronze at the junior Norwegian Championships in 1939, and like most athletes of his time, his career was interrupted by World War II
. His first participation in an international senior championship was at the World Allround Championships
in 1947, where he became fourth overall by finishing third on the 5,000 m and winning the 10,000 m.
In the first Winter Olympics after World War II, in St. Moritz in February 1948, Liaklev won the 5,000 m with a time of 8:29.4. He also participated in the 10,000 m, but he did not finish his rase due to breathing problems in the high altitude. Two weeks later, he won the European Championships in Hamar
. In 1949, he became Norwegian Allround Champion, and the following year, he won silver at the European Allround Championships in Helsinki
, after having won the 10,000 m.
Liaklev represented Brandbu Idrettsforening (Brandbu
Sports Association). Following his speed skating career, Liaklev was a speed skating coach and president of the Norwegian Skating Association for a while.
Liaklev has an Adelskalender score of 191.578 points. His highest ranking on the Adelskalender was a ninth place.
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
who won the gold medal at the 1948 Winter Olympics
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
of St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
. Liaklev was a long distance specialist, but still managed to win the European Allround Championships
European Speed Skating Championships
The European Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of Europe. The International Skating Union has organised the European Championships for Men since 1893 and the European Championships for Women since 1970. The...
.
Liaklev won bronze at the junior Norwegian Championships in 1939, and like most athletes of his time, his career was interrupted by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. His first participation in an international senior championship was at the World Allround Championships
World Speed Skating Championships
The International Skating Union organises the following World Championships in the sport of speed skating:* Allround** Men's Allround** Women's Allround* Sprint** Men's Sprint** Women's Sprint* Men's Single Distances* Women's Single Distances* Short Track...
in 1947, where he became fourth overall by finishing third on the 5,000 m and winning the 10,000 m.
In the first Winter Olympics after World War II, in St. Moritz in February 1948, Liaklev won the 5,000 m with a time of 8:29.4. He also participated in the 10,000 m, but he did not finish his rase due to breathing problems in the high altitude. Two weeks later, he won the European Championships in Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
. In 1949, he became Norwegian Allround Champion, and the following year, he won silver at the European Allround Championships in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, after having won the 10,000 m.
Liaklev represented Brandbu Idrettsforening (Brandbu
Brandbu
Brandbu is a village in the municipality of Gran in Oppland county, Norway.Brandbu is located in the traditional district of Hadeland. It was earlier known as "Augedalsbro" . Locals still commonly refer to the village as "Brua" . Brandbu was a parish in earlier times and later a municipality of...
Sports Association). Following his speed skating career, Liaklev was a speed skating coach and president of the Norwegian Skating Association for a while.
Medals
An overview of medals won by Liaklev at important championships he participated in, listing the years in which he won each:| Championships | Gold medal | Silver medal | Bronze medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics Speed skating at the Winter Olympics Speed skating has been featured as a sport in the Winter Olympics since the first winter games in 1924. Women's events were added to the Olympic program for the first time in 1960.-History:... |
1948 (5,000 m) | – | – |
| World Allround World Allround Speed Skating Championships The World Allround Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of the world... |
– | – | – |
| European Allround European Speed Skating Championships The European Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of Europe. The International Skating Union has organised the European Championships for Men since 1893 and the European Championships for Women since 1970. The... |
1948 | 1950 | – |
| Norwegian Allround | 1949 | 1948 | 1950 |
Personal records
To put these personal records in perspective, the WR column lists the official world records on the dates that Liaklev skated his personal records.| Event | Result | Date | Venue | WR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 44.0 | 5 February 1949 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
41.8 |
| 1,000 m | 1:34.5 | 7 March 1949 | Hamar Hamar is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849... |
1:28.4 |
| 1,500 m | 2:16.6 | 6 February 1949 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
2:13.8 |
| 3,000 m | 4:58.0 | 23 February 1950 | Jevnaker Jevnaker Jevnaker is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Jevnaker with a population of 4,302.The parish of Jævnaker was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838... |
4:45.7 |
| 5,000 m | 8:18.0 | 25 February 1950 | Gjøvik Gjøvik is a town and a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Gjøvik.In 1861, the village of Gjøvik in the municipality of Vardal was granted town status and was separated from Vardal to form a separate municipality... |
8:13.5 |
| 10,000 m | 17:24.9 | 15 February 1948 | Hamar Hamar is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849... |
17:01.5 |
Liaklev has an Adelskalender score of 191.578 points. His highest ranking on the Adelskalender was a ninth place.