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Clas Thunberg

Given name	Arnold Clas Robert
Surname	Thunberg
Sex	Male
Born	5 April 1893
Died	28 April 1973

Clas Thunberg from Finland took over the as new "king of speed skating" after Oscar Mathisen when he won 3 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal in the first Olympic Games in Chamonix 1924. He won 1500 m and 5000 m, in addition to the only gold in allround combination ever awarded. He continued his Olympic success with 2 gold medals in St.Moritz 1928 (500 m and 1500 m). He was the oldest Olympic champion in the history of Olympic speed skating when he won his last Olympic gold, 34 years and 315 days old. He dominated speed skating in the 1920s and early 1930s. He was 5 times world champion and 4 times european champion.

In his younger years, before his speed skating career started, Thunberg is known to be smoking and drinking quite a lot. He did not start speed skating until he was 18 years old, and he started in his first competition at the age of 20. He was 28 years old when he started in his first international tournament, the european championship in 1922, which he won. He continued skating until the age of 42, taking part in his last international tournament in 1935. He was working as a master bricklayer in his hometown, Helsinki.

Among his 4 World Records was a record on 1000 m, a distance which was seldom skated at this time. His record would stand unbeated for 25 years before is was finally beaten by Yevgeny Grishin in 1955.

He was one of the few speed skating kings never to reach the top of the Adelskalender. He never managed to dethrone Oscar Mathisen. He was number two, behind Mathisen, for a little less than two years, 28 February 1928 - 10 January 1930.

Last updated on 29 November 2005 by Bjarte Hetland.

International Championship Results

	Result	Distance	Date	Tournament	Venue
	1	Allround Men	12 February 1922	European Championships Men 1922	Helsinki
	3	Allround Men	19 February 1922	World Championships Men 1922	Oslo
	2	Allround Men	4 February 1923	European Championships Men 1923	Hamar
	1	Allround Men	11 February 1923	World Championships Men 1923	Stockholm
	1	5000 m Men	26 January 1924	Olympic Winter Games 1924	Chamonix
	1	1500 m Men	27 January 1924	Olympic Winter Games 1924	Chamonix
	2	10000 m Men	27 January 1924	Olympic Winter Games 1924	Chamonix
	1	Allround Men	27 January 1924	Olympic Winter Games 1924	Chamonix
	2	Allround Men	17 February 1924	European Championships Men 1924	Oslo
	NS3	Allround Men	2 March 1924	World Championships Men 1924	Helsinki
	1	Allround Men	22 February 1925	World Championships Men 1925	Oslo
	2	Allround Men	13 February 1927	European Championships Men 1927	Stockholm
	2	Allround Men	27 February 1927	World Championships Men 1927	Tampere
	1	Allround Men	22 January 1928	European Championships Men 1928	Oslo
	1	Allround Men	5 February 1928	World Championships Men 1928	Davos
	1	500 m Men	13 February 1928	Olympic Winter Games 1928	Sankt Moritz
	12	5000 m Men	13 February 1928	Olympic Winter Games 1928	Sankt Moritz
	1	1500 m Men	14 February 1928	Olympic Winter Games 1928	Sankt Moritz
	2	Allround Men	20 January 1929	European Championships Men 1929	Davos
	1	Allround Men	10 February 1929	World Championships Men 1929	Oslo
	1	Allround Men	8 February 1931	European Championships Men 1931	Stockholm
	1	Allround Men	22 February 1931	World Championships Men 1931	Helsinki
	1	Allround Men	10 January 1932	European Championships Men 1932	Davos
	6	Allround Men	19 February 1933	World Championships Men 1933	Trondheim
	NC15	Allround Men	4 February 1934	European Championships Men 1934	Hamar
	NC14	Allround Men	18 February 1934	World Championships Men 1934	Helsinki
	NC11	Allround Men	4 February 1935	European Championships Men 1935	Helsinki
	NC18	Allround Men	17 February 1935	World Championships Men 1935	Oslo

World Records

Distance	Time	Rink	Date
500 m Men	42,8	Davos	19 January 1929
1000 m Men	1.28,4	Davos	11 January 1930
500 m Men	42,6	Davos	13 January 1931
3000 m Men	5.19,2	Davos	8 January 1932