In speed skating, you need to go through a given distance in a closed circle of an ice stadium. The winner is the athlete who reaches the finish line faster than the rest of the race participants. Such competitions are called cyclical.
Speed skating competitions have been held for a long time. The first speed skating club appeared in England in 1742, and official competitions in this sport began in 1763.
Since 1892, the International Skating Union ISU (ISU) has been operating, which includes more than 60 national federations. In 1924, speed skating was included in the winter program of the Olympic Games. At first, only men competed in it, but since 1960, women's competitions have also been organized.
Olympic speed skaters run both short, from 500 to 1500 m, and long distances, the length of which varies from 3 to 10 km.
The participants of the race cover the distance together. In this case, one of them runs along the outer side of the circle, and the other along the inner path.
Soviet and then Russian athletes showed good results in this sport. For example, they won 7 prize medals in the debut competition for Soviet skaters. This happened during the VII Winter Olympics in 1956. Sportswoman Maria Isakova, representing the Soviet Union, received the world championship three times and brought 3 awards from the Olympic Games.
Athletes use special equipment, the main element of which is skates. The blade is fixed in the area of the big toe of the runner and remains on the ice longer when the skater strides. The shoes to which the blades are attached are made from foot casts made of high-tech materials. In addition to skates, the choice of a suit for the competition is also important. It should be close to the body, but not hinder movement. To develop new, improved fabrics from which speed skating suits are sewn, aerodynamic studies of various materials are carried out.
Professional equipment helps athletes avoid certain injuries. The high speed that skaters develop and turns on the curves of the ice circle can lead to a fall and injury from the skate blade of the athlete running alongside.
