| Event: | Men's 500 metres speed skating |
| Games: | 1952 Winter |
| Venue: | Bislett Stadium |
| Date: | 16 February 1952 |
| Competitors: | 49 |
| Nations: | 14 |
| Win Value: | 43.2 |
| Gold: | Ken Henry |
| Goldnoc: | USA |
| Silver: | Don McDermott |
| Silvernoc: | USA |
| Bronze: | Gordon Audley |
| Bronzenoc: | CAN |
| Bronze2: | Arne Johansen |
| Bronzenoc2: | NOR |
| Prev: | 1948 |
| Next: | 1956 |
The 500 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1952 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Saturday, 16 February 1952, at 3p.m. Forty-one speed skaters from 14 nations competed.[1]
These were the standing world and Olympic records (in seconds) prior to the 1952 Winter Olympics.
| World record | 41.2(*) | Yuri Sergeev | Medeo (URS) | 19 January 1952 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic record | 43.1 |  Finn Helgesen | St. Moritz (SUI) | 31 January 1948 |
(*) The record was set in a high altitude venue (more than 1000 metres above sea level) and on naturally frozen ice.
The current world record holder Yuri Sergeev did not compete as the Soviet Union did not participate in the Oslo Games, sending observers instead to prepare for the 1956 Winter Olympics.
| Place | Speed skater | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 43.2 | |
| 2 | 43.9 | |
| 3 | 44.0 | |
| 44.0 | ||
| 5 | 44.0 | |
| 6 | 44.1 | |
| 44.1 | ||
| 8 | 44.2 | |
| 44.2 | ||
| 10 | 44.3 | |
| 11 | 44.5 | |
| 12 | 44.8 | |
| 44.8 | ||
| 44.8 | ||
| 15 | 44.9 | |
| 44.9 | ||
| 44.9 | ||
| 18 | 45.2 | |
| 19 | 45.3 | |
| 45.3 | ||
| 21 | 45.4 | |
| 45.4 | ||
| 23 | 45.6 | |
| 24 | 45.7 | |
| 25 | 45.9 | |
| 45.9 | ||
| 45.9 | ||
| 28 | 46.1 | |
| 29 | 46.2 | |
| 30 | 46.5 | |
| 31 | 46.6 | |
| 32 | 46.7 | |
| 33 | 46.8 | |
| 34 | 46.9 | |
| 35 | 47.2 | |
| 36 | 47.3 | |
| 37 | 47.6 | |
| 38 | 48.2 | |
| 39 | 49.2 | |
| — | DNF | |
| DNF |
Finn Helgesen did not receive a bronze medal because he was paired up with Arne Johansen and finished behind his opponent.
Jan Charisius and Lassi Parkkinen gave up after a fall.