Ids Postma

Ids Postma
Personal information
Birth nameIds Hylke Postma
NationalityDutch
Born (1973-12-28) 28 December 1973 (age 50)
Dearsum, Netherlands
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight93 kg (205 lb)
SpouseAnni Friesinger-Postma (2009)
Sport
CountryNetherlands
SportSpeed skating
Turned pro1993
Coached byHenk Gemser
Retired2004
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)500 m: 35.99 (2001)
1000 m: 1:09.15 (2002)
1500 m: 1:45.41 (2002)
3000 m: 3:58.53 (2002)
5000 m: 6:32.92 (2000)
10 000 m: 13:45.91 (1998)
Medal record
Men's speed skating
Representing the  Netherlands
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1998 Nagano 1,000 m[1]
Silver medal – second place 1998 Nagano 1,500 m[1]
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1997 Nagano Allround
Gold medal – first place 1998 Heerenveen Allround
Silver medal – second place 1994 Gothenburg Allround
Silver medal – second place 1996 Inzell Allround
Silver medal – second place 2000 Milwaukee Allround
Silver medal – second place 2001 Budapest Allround
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Gothenburg Allround
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1997 Heerenveen Allround
Silver medal – second place 1996 Heerenveen Allround
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Hamar Allround
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Baselga di Piné Allround
World Single Distance Championships
Gold medal – first place 1996 Hamar 5000 m
Gold medal – first place 1999 Heerenveen 1500 m
Gold medal – first place 2000 Nagano 1500 m
Silver medal – second place 1998 Calgary 1500 m

Ids Hylke Postma (born 28 December 1973) is a Dutch former speed skater. He is an Olympic gold medalist[1] and former world champion.

In 1993 Postma finished 2nd at the Speedskating World Championships for Juniors. In his first year as senior skater, he became Dutch Allround Champion, finished second behind Johann Olav Koss at the World Allround Championships, and came 4th in the European Championships, but nevertheless did not qualify for the Dutch Olympic team. In 1997 Postma won both the European Allround Championships and the World Allround Championships.[2]

His greatest success came in 1998 when he became World Allround Champion again, also setting a world record in the point-sum combination, and won two Olympic medals at the Olympic Games in Nagano. He won the 1,000 meters event and placed second at his specialty, the 1,500 meters, just behind Ådne Søndrål from Norway. Also in 1998, he was the first skater who skated an official world record on the 1,500 meters below 1:50.00: Postma did this in Berlin.[2] Erben Wennemars had done the same the summer before, but that time was not ratified by the International Skating Union.[2] Postma's record did not last long, because a few hours later Kevin Overland skated to a new record in Calgary.[2]

Postma is also a three-time World Champion in the World Single Distance Championships. He won the 5,000 meters in 1996 and the 1,500 meters in 1999 and 2000.

In October 2004 Postma announced his retirement[3] and nowadays he lives on his farm in Deersum. He married German speed skater Anni Friesinger on 11 August 2009 in Salzburg. The couple will not live together on the farm until renovations are complete.[4] In August 2011, she gave birth to a daughter.[5] He previously had a relationship with Renske Vellinga, until her death in a car crash in 1994.

  1. ^ a b c "THE XVIII WINTER GAMES; The Women and Men Who Reached the Top Three Steps". The New York Times. 23 February 1998. p. C8. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d Bjarte Hetland (28 November 2005). "Ids Postma". Archived from the original on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  3. ^ "Postma zit in de wachtkamer". Friesch Dagblad. 29 September 2004. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  4. ^ "Anni Friesinger en Ids Postma getrouwd". 13 August 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  5. ^ "Eisschnellläuferin Anni Friesinger-Postma bekommt Baby in Meppen". 14 August 2011. Archived from the original on 16 August 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2011.