Falko Zandstra Explained

Falko Zandstra
Nationality:Dutch
Headercolor:
  1. d7ecff
Country:Netherlands
Birth Date:27 December 1971
Birth Place:Heerenveen, Netherlands
Height:1.89 m
Weight:76 kg
Turnedpro:1990
Retired:1998
Pb: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)

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.

Biography

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

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

EventResultDateLocation
3000m junior4:02.1013 March 1990Heerenveen
Small combination junior159.75317 February 1991Heerenveen
Small combination159.75317 February 1991Heerenveen
3000m junior3:57.641 March 1991Calgary
1500m junior1.53,262 March 1991Calgary
5000m junior6:47.103 March 1991Calgary
Small combination junior156.0593 March 1991Calgary
Small combination156.0593 March 1991Calgary
Big combination156.88223 January 1993Heerenveen

Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com[1]

Personal records

Source: www.isu.org[2]

Tournament overview


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 bgcolor=#EEEEEE
12th 1500m
bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE

1989–90

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

8th 500m
4th 1000m
11th 1500m
5000m
bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE
7th 500m
3000m
1500m
5000m
overall

1990–91
bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE
6th 500m
6th 5000m
11th 1500m
7th 10000m
5th overall
bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE
500m
3000m
1500m
5000m
overall

1991–92
bgcolor=#EEEEEE
1000m
1500m
5th 5000m
4th 10000m

500m
5000m
1500m
10000m
overall

5th 500m
4th 5000m
1500m
10000m
overall
bgcolor=#EEEEEE

1992–93
bgcolor=#EEEEEE
NC 500m
1500m
5000m
10000m

500m
5000m
1500m
10000m
overall

500m
5000m
1500m
10000m
overall
bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE

1993–94
bgcolor=#EEEEEE
4th 1500m
5000m
10000m

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

4th 500m
5000m
1500m
5th 10000m
overall
bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE

1994–95
bgcolor=#EEEEEE
1500m
5000m
10000m

500m
5000m
1500m
10000m
overall

4th 500m
5000m
1500m
10000m
overall
bgcolor=#EEEEEE
7th 500m
15th 5000m
35th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall(26th)
bgcolor=#EEEEEE

1995–96
bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE
5th 500m
5th 5000m
5th 1500m
4th 10000m
4th overall
bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE

1996–97
bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE
4th 500m
5000m
4th 1500m
10000m
overall

4th 500m
5th 5000m
1500m
5th 10000m
overall
bgcolor=#EEEEEE
12th 500m
22nd 5000m
15th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall(14th)
bgcolor=#EEEEEE

1997–98
bgcolor=#EEEEEE
7th 1500m
5th 5000m
10000m

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

5th 500m
9th 5000m
8th 1500m
8th 10000m
5th overall
bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE

DNQ = Did not qualify for the final event

NC = No classificationsource:[3] [4]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Falko Zandstra. SpeedSkatingStats.com. 29 August 2012.
  2. Web site: Jochem Uytdehaage Personal best. www.isu.org. 2010-03-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20110720164409/http://data.isuresults.eu/riderDetail.asp?id=10069. 2011-07-20. dead.
  3. Web site: Falko Zandstra. speedskatingstats.com . 16 November 2022.
  4. Web site: Falko Zandstra. speedskatingnews.info . 23 November 2022.