Sander Eitrem set a new 5000-meter speed skating world record by completing the distance in under six minutes at the Inzell event, eliciting strong reactions from coaches present at the venue.
According to NOS, a Dutch public broadcaster, Eitrem’s performance took place near the end of the skating day in the Max Aicher Arena, where his unusually fast lap times quickly drew the attention of coaches and skaters on the field. The Norwegian’s unprecedented finish at 5:58.52 minutes left both team coaches and spectators in disbelief. Norwegian coach Edel Therese Høiseth was moved to tears, while Dutch coach Bjarne Rykkje, working with the Norwegian team, expressed astonishment, noting that although Eitrem was in excellent condition, such a performance was extraordinary.
Rykkje highlighted that Eitrem’s preparation had been carefully planned, with the athlete skipping the European Championships to focus on training for the Winter Olympics. The coach also mentioned that Eitrem had displayed confidence prior to his race, which was a sign of the strong form he was in. Eitrem himself described achieving a sub-six-minute 5000 meters as a lifelong dream, still feeling surreal after breaking the barrier.
Mark Tuitert, an analyst for NOS and a former skater, commented on the significance of the record. He noted that many had spoken of breaking the six-minute mark since the times of Sven Kramer and Nils van der Poel, yet no athlete had accomplished it until now. Tuitert observed that early laps indicated Eitrem’s dominant performance and attributed the timing of the record partly to athletes reaching peak condition ahead of the Winter Games.
One technical aspect of interest was Eitrem’s use of a skating technique with arms behind the back during curves, a method increasingly adopted by long-distance skaters. Rykkje remarked that this deliberate choice seemed to suit Eitrem well and contributed to his record-setting speed. Despite the excitement, Rykkje expressed cautious optimism, hoping Eitrem maintains focus amid the achievement. Eitrem acknowledged he would take a few days to process the accomplishment fully.
With the Winter Olympics approaching soon, many skaters viewed the Inzell World Cup event as a final form test rather than an ultimate peak performance. However, the coaches recognize the significance of Eitrem’s world record, especially since it was set at a lowland rink rather than the traditionally faster high-altitude tracks.
