Speed skating at the 1928 Winter Olympics – Men's 10,000 metres explained

The 10,000 metres speed skating event was part of the speed skating at the 1928 Winter Olympics programme. The competition was held on Tuesday, February 14, 1928.

In this race, Irving Jaffee was leading the competition, having outskated Norwegian defending world champion Bernt Evensen in their heat, when rising temperatures thawed the ice.^[1] In a controversial ruling, the Norwegian referee canceled the entire competition. Although the International Olympic Committee reversed the referee's decision and awarded Jaffee the gold medal, the International Skating Union later overruled the IOC and restored the ruling.^[2] Jaffee should have received the gold medal, according to Evensen, but it never occurred.^[3]

Medalists

No medals were awarded as the competition was abandoned.

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1928 Winter Olympics.

World Record	17:17.4(*)	Armand Carlsen	Davos (SUI)	February 5, 1928
Olympic Record	18:04.8	Julius Skutnabb	Chamonix (FRA)	January 27, 1924

(*) The record was set in a high altitude venue (more than 1000 metres above sea level) and on naturally frozen ice.

Results

Heats

Heat 1

width=20	Place	width=240	Name	width=60	Time
1		18:36.5
2		18:36.6

Heat 2

width=20	Place	width=240	Name	width=60	Time
1		20:21.5
2		20:22.2

Heat 3

width=20	Place	width=240	Name	width=60	Time
1		20:00.9
–		DNF

Heat 4

width=20	Place	width=240	Name	width=60	Time
1		20:56.1
2		21:05.4

Heat 5

This heat was abandoned after 2000 metres due to thawing ice.

width=20	Place	width=240	Name	width=60	Time
–		-
–		-

Standings after four heats

Place	Speed skater	Time
1		18:36.5
2		18:36.6
3		20:00.9
4		20:21.5
5		20:22.2
6		20:56.1
7		21:05.4
–		DNF

References

• Official Olympic Report
• Web site: Results of the 1928 Olympic Games 10,000 meters Men. SpeedSkatingStats.com. 27 August 2012.

Notes and References

1. Book: The Big Book of Jewish Sports Heroes: An Illustrated Compendium of Sports History and The 150 Greatest Jewish Sports Stars . 2007. February 27, 2011.
2. Book: The International Jewish Sports Hall ... . September 15, 1906 . February 27, 2011.
3. Web site: Mitchell . Kevin . The unforgettable Olympic speed skating race of 1928: Irving Jaffee's happy, sad gold-medal story . nationalpost.com . 25 October 2023.