Sten Stensen

Sten Stensen, born on December eighteenth, nineteen forty-seven, is a celebrated former speed skater who made his mark in the sport during the 1970s and early 1980s. He was part of the legendary group known as the four S-es, alongside fellow Norwegian skaters Amund Sjøbrend, Kay Stenshjemmet, and Jan Egil Storholt. Stensen was particularly renowned for his prowess in longer distances, excelling in the five thousand meters and ten thousand meters.

Throughout his illustrious career, Stensen set two world records and achieved remarkable accolades, including being crowned World Allround Champion in nineteen seventy-four and European Allround Champion in nineteen seventy-five. His Olympic journey culminated in a gold medal victory in the five thousand meters at the Innsbruck Winter Olympics in nineteen seventy-six, where he triumphed over competitors Piet Kleine and Hans van Helden.

During the nineteen seventy-six European Allround Championships held in Oslo, Stensen, the defending champion, set a new world record in the ten thousand meters. However, he narrowly lost his title to Kay Stenshjemmet by a mere point zero zero five, which is equivalent to just point one seconds on the track. Despite this setback, Stensen remained a formidable competitor, entering the Winter Olympics as the favorite for the ten thousand meters, only to be edged out by Kleine in a closely contested race.

After retiring from competitive speed skating in nineteen seventy-eight, Stensen transitioned to a career as a broadcasting commentator, sharing his insights and expertise at speed skating events across Norway.