The Dutch Sven Kramer Makes Olympic History

Dutch skater Sven Kramer made history by becoming the first speed skater to win three Olympic gold medals in the same event, the 5000 meters. Similarly, 17-year-old Redmond Gerard from the United States won gold in the snowboard slopestyle, making him the second youngest winner in an individual event at the Winter Olympics, held in Pyeongchang 2018.

But Kramer's achievement didn't stop there. At the age of 31, he set a new Olympic record for the 5000 meters, finishing with a time of 6 minutes, 9 seconds, and 76 hundredths. He also became the most decorated speed skater in Olympic history, with a total of eight medals.

Kramer now holds the record for the most Olympic medals won by a Dutch athlete, surpassing the seven podium finishes of swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband.

As for Gerard, he began writing his own story and is only surpassed in precocity by Finnish jumper Toni Nieminen, who won gold in the large hill ski jump at the 1992 Albertville Olympics at the age of 16 years and 261 days.

American skater Tara Lipinski holds the record for the youngest Winter Olympic gold medalist, winning at the age of 15 years and 255 days in Nagano 1998. Gerard, born on June 29, 2000, also holds the title of the first Winter Olympic champion born in the year 2000.

Following the trend of precociousness is the 19-year-old French skier Perrine Laffont. She surpassed her compatriot Martin Fourcade, the reigning biathlon champion for the past six years, and won France's first gold medal at Pyeongchang.

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