Hans Engnestangen

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Medal record
Competitor for  Norway
Men’s Speed skating
World Championships
Gold	1933 Trondheim	Allround
Bronze	1935 Oslo	Allround
European Championships
Silver	1937 Davos	Allround

Hans Engnestangen (March 28, 1908 – May 9, 2003) was a Norwegian speed skater and world champion. He held the world records on both the 500 and 1500 meter distance for more than ten years.

He hailed from Brandbu, but represented the speed skating club Hamar IL.

[edit] International championships

At the 1932 Winter Olympics he participated in the 10000 metres event but was eliminated in the heats.

Four years later he finished eights in the 1500 metres competition. He also participated in the 500 metres event but did not finish.

Engnestangen won a gold medal at the 1933 World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Men, and a bronze medal in 1935.^[1] He won the 500m distance in 1933, 1938 and 1939, and the 1500m in 1937 and 1938.

He received a silver medal at the 1937 European Allround Championships, where he also won the 500m distance.

[edit] World records

In January 1933 Engnestangen improved Clas Thunberg's previous world record on 500m speedskating, with 42.5, a record which lasted until 1936. Engnestangen improved the time in January 1937 (42.3), and again in February 1938 (41.8). The last record was unbeaten for 14 years, until 1952.^[2]

In January 1939 Engnestangen improved the 1500m time with the new world record 2:13.8. The record was unbeaten for 13 years, until 1952.^[2]

[edit] References

Records
Preceded by Clas Thunberg	Men's 500 m World Record Holder January 21, 1933 – January 18, 1936	Succeeded by Allan Potts
Preceded by Allan Potts	Men's 500 m World Record Holder January 30, 1937 – January 6, 1952	Succeeded by Yury Sergeev
Preceded by Michael Staksrud	Men's 1500 m World Record Holder January 29, 1939 – January 20, 1952	Succeeded by Valentin Chaikin