Falko Zandstra (born 27 December 1971) is a former Dutch speed skater. Because of his thin legs he was also called de Gespierde Spijker which translates to the Muscular Nail.

Falko Zandstra
Falko Zandstra
Personal information
NationalityDutch
Born (1971-12-27) 27 December 1971 (age 52)
Heerenveen, Netherlands
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight76 kg (168 lb)
Sport
CountryNetherlands
SportSpeed skating
Turned pro1990
Retired1998
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)500 m: 37.89 (1994)
1000 m: 1:13.98 (1998)
1500 m: 1:50.90 (1997)
3000 m: 3:57.64 (1991)
5000 m: 6:39.57 (1998)
10 000 m: 13:46.96
1993)
Medal record
Men's Speed Skating
Representing the  Netherlands
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1992 Albertville 5.000m
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Lillehammer 1.500m
World Allround Championships
Gold medal – first place 1993 Hamar Allround
Silver medal – second place 1992 Calgary Allround
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1992 Heerenveen Allround
Gold medal – first place 1993 Heerenveen Allround
Silver medal – second place 1995 Heerenveen Allround
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Hamar Allround
Bronze medal – third place 1997 Heerenveen Allround
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 1990 Obihiro Allround
Gold medal – first place 1991 Calgary Allround

Biography

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Zandstra was born in Heerenveen, Friesland. He was a natural talent who had his career peak at a very young age. In 1990 and 1991 he became junior world champion. In 1991 he won with a world record in the small combination. In his international debut year 1992 he became European Champion Allround and finished second in the World Allround Championships, after Roberto Sighel. In that season he also won the World Cup at the 1500 meters and a silver medal at the Winter Olympics in the 5000 meters. A year later, in 1993 he became World champion and European champion again.

From 1994 on, his career went downwards. At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer he won the bronze medal in the 1500 meters and finished fourth in the 5000 and 10000 meters. He also won the 1500 meters World Cup again. In 1995 he finished second in the European championships. At the World championships that year, he fell during the 1500 meters when he threw his arm band (which is used to indicate in which lane a skater has started) over his own skate. Because of this he didn't qualify for the 10,000 meters.

For 49 days, from 23 January until 13 March 1993, Falko Zandstra was the leader in the Adelskalender.

After his career, Zandstra switched to marathon skating with little success and he quit skating in 1999. Today he runs his own company in roof and wall plating called Falko Dak & Wand in Heerenveen. He is married to former Dutch speed skater Ellen Linnenbank.

World records

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In the course of his career, Zandstra skated nine world records, of which six were junior world records:

Event Result Date Location
3000m junior 4:02.10 13 March 1990 Heerenveen
Small combination junior 159.753 17 February 1991 Heerenveen
Small combination 159.753 17 February 1991 Heerenveen
3000m junior 3:57.64 1 March 1991 Calgary
1500m junior 1.53,26 2 March 1991 Calgary
5000m junior 6:47.10 3 March 1991 Calgary
Small combination junior 156.059 3 March 1991 Calgary
Small combination 156.059 3 March 1991 Calgary
Big combination 156.882 23 January 1993 Heerenveen

Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com[1]

Personal records

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Personal records
Men's Speed skating
Event Result Date Location Notes
500m 37.89 7 January 1994 Hamar
1000m 1:13.98 15 January 1998 Heerenveen
1500m 1:50.90 20 December 1997 Heerenveen
3000m 3:57.90 1 March 1991 Calgary
5000m 6:39.57 18 December 1997 Heerenveen
10000m 13:46.96 22 January 1993 Heerenveen

Source: www.isu.org[2]

Tournament overview

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Season
Dutch
Championships
Sprint
Dutch
Championships
Single
Distances
Dutch
Championships
Allround
European
Championships
Allround
Olympic
Games
World
Championships
Allround
World
Championships
Junior
Allround
1988–89
HEERENVEEN

12th 1500m

1989–90
ASSEN

11th 500m
  1000m
8th 500m
  1000m
5th overall
HEERENVEEN

8th 500m
4th 1000m
11th 1500m
  5000m
OBIHIRO

7th 500m
  3000m
  1500m
  5000m
  overall

1990–91
ALKMAAR

6th 500m
6th 5000m
11th 1500m
7th 10000m
5th overall
CALGARY

  500m
  3000m
  1500m
  5000m
  overall

1991–92
HEERENVEEN

  1000m
  1500m
5th 5000m
4th 10000m
ALKMAAR

  500m
  5000m
  1500m
  10000m
  overall
HEERENVEEN

5th 500m
4th 5000m
  1500m
  10000m
  overall
ALBERTVILLE

10th 1000m
7th 1500m
  5000m
CALGARY

7th 500m
  5000m
  1500m
  10000m
  overall

1992–93
DEVENTER

NC 500m
  1500m
  5000m
  10000m
ASSEN

  500m
  5000m
  1500m
  10000m
  overall
HEERENVEEN

  500m
  5000m
  1500m
  10000m
  overall
HAMAR

♦4th 500m
  5000m
  1500m
  10000m
  overall

1993–94
HEERENVEEN

4th 1500m
  5000m
  10000m
THE HAGUE

  500m
6th 5000m
5th 1500m
5th 10000m
4th overall
HAMAR

4th 500m
  5000m
  1500m
5th 10000m
  overall
LILLEHAMMER

  1500m
4th 5000m
4th 10000m

1994–95
THE HAGUE

  1500m
  5000m
  10000m
ASSEN

  500m
  5000m
  1500m
  10000m
  overall
HEERENVEEN

4th 500m
  5000m
  1500m
  10000m
  overall
BASELGA di PINÈ

7th 500m
15th 5000m
35th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall(26th)

1995–96
THE HAGUE

5th 500m
5th 5000m
5th 1500m
4th 10000m
4th overall

1996–97
ASSEN

4th 500m
  5000m
4th 1500m
  10000m
  overall
HEERENVEEN

4th 500m
5th 5000m
  1500m
5th 10000m
  overall
NAGANO

12th 500m
22nd 5000m
15th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall(14th)

1997–98
HEERENVEEN

7th 1500m
5th 5000m
  10000m
DEVENTER

24th 500m
  5000m
  1500m
  10000m
11th overall
HELSINKI

5th 500m
9th 5000m
8th 1500m
8th 10000m
5th overall
DNQ = Did not qualify for the final event
NC = No classification

source:[3] [4]

Medals won

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Championship Gold
 
Silver
 
Bronze
 
Dutch Allround
3
1
0
European Allround
2
1
2
World Allround
1
1
0
World Junior Allround
2
0
0
Olympic Games
0
1
1

References

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  1. ^ "Falko Zandstra". SpeedSkatingStats.com. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  2. ^ "Jochem Uytdehaage Personal best". www.isu.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
  3. ^ "Falko Zandstra". speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Falko Zandstra". speedskatingnews.info. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
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Awards
Preceded by Oscar Mathisen Award
1993
Succeeded by
Preceded by Dutch Sportsman of the Year
1993
Succeeded by
Preceded by Ard Schenk Award
1992, 1993
Succeeded by