Gianni Romme

Speedskating

The Netherlands’ Gianni Romme set a world record in the 5,000-meter speedskate in December, breaking a record that had stood since … well, for a good solid 7 minutes or so.

In Heerenveen, Netherlands, on Dec. 7, race organizers held such hopes for world records that they used specially purified water for the ice at the Thialf rink to make it faster.

With the widespread use of clapskates - mechanical blade devices that open and close with each stride - speedskating records had been falling in droves to open the 1997-98 seasaon.

Wearing the clapskates, Bob de Jong raced to a 6-minute 33.58-second finish in his 5,000-meter race. De Jong’s effort broke a nearly 4-year-old world record, the 6:34.96 mark by Norwegian Johan Olaf Koss that had stood since the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer.

In the next race, Romme broke de Jong’s record with a 6:30.63.

Romme’s mark still stands. He is 24 and has never won a medal.

That may change today when Romme competes in the event.