Sander Eitrem of Norway is considered the leading contender for the men’s 5000m event in long track speed skating at the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, following his historic sub-six-minute time achieved earlier this year.
According to ISU Skating, Eitrem became the first man to complete the 5000m distance in under six minutes, clocking 5 minutes 58.52 seconds during the World Cup event in Inzell, Germany. This milestone places him as the clear favorite going into the Games scheduled to begin in early February.
Before setting the record, Eitrem described himself as an underdog, noting, “I didn’t win a World Cup this season before Inzell. I was happy with that. I was like more of an underdog, but I turned it upside-down. I’m one of the favorites.” Acknowledging the pressure that comes with his new status, he emphasized the importance of maintaining his current approach as the competition intensifies.
The competition at Milano will be strong, with several skaters vying for the title. Notable contenders include Timothy Loubineaud of France, Metoděj Jílek from the Czech Republic, Vladimir Semirunniy of Poland, Casey Dawson representing the United States, and local favorite Davide Ghiotto of Italy. Each of these athletes has demonstrated competitive performances this season, with multiple World Cup race wins among them.
Loubineaud approached the six-minute barrier earlier in the season with a time of 6:00.23 and was a consistent podium finisher. Dawson secured a 5000m World Cup victory in Calgary, while Jílek won both 5000m and 10,000m events during the season. Although Semirunniy has not won in the A Division, he set a 10,000m track record in the B Division at Heerenveen and earned the 5000m European title. Ghiotto, the current 10,000m World Record holder and 2022 Olympic bronze medalist, may pose a threat on home ice despite a slower season start.
The 2026 Olympics will see a new men’s 5000m Olympic champion. The title was previously held by Nils van der Poel of Sweden during the Beijing 2022 Games; prior to that, Sven Kramer of the Netherlands dominated the event for three consecutive Olympic cycles. It appears unlikely that the Dutch skaters this season—Stijn van de Bunt, Chris Huizinga, and Marcel Bosker—will challenge for the medal positions based on recent results.
The event is set to take place at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 8, with 20 skaters from 12 delegations competing. The current records stand at 5:58.52 for the world record (Eitrem) and 6:08.84 for the Olympic record (van der Poel). No track record has yet been established at this venue.
