<P> Long track world records were first registered in 1891 and improved rapidly, Jaap Eden lowering the world 5000 - metre record by half a minute during the Hamar European Championships in 1894 . The record stood for 17 years, and it took 50 years to lower it by further half a minute . </P> <P> The Elfstedentocht was organized as a competition in 1909 and has been held at irregular intervals, whenever the ice on the course is deemed good enough . Other outdoor races developed later, with Friesland in the northern Netherlands hosting a race in 1917, but the Dutch natural ice conditions have rarely been conducive to skating . The Elfstedentocht has been held 15 times in the nearly 100 years since 1909, and, before artificial ice was available in 1962, national championships had been held in 25 of the years between 1887, when the first championship was held in Slikkerveer, and 1961 . Since artificial ice became common in the Netherlands, Dutch speed skaters have been among the world top in long track ice skating and marathon skating . Another solution to still be able to skate marathons on natural ice became the Alternative Elfstedentocht . The Alternative Elfstedentocht races take part in other countries, such as Austria, Finland or Canada, and all top marathon skaters, as well as thousands of recreative skaters, travel from the Netherlands to the location where the race is held . According to the NRC Handelsblad journalist Jaap Bloembergen, the country "takes a carnival look" during international skating championships . </P> <P> Speed Skating started in 1924 . At the 1914 Olympic Congress, the delegates agreed to include ice speed skating in the 1916 Olympics, after figure skating had featured in the 1908 Olympics . However, World War I put an end to the plans of Olympic competition, and it was not until the winter sports week in Chamonix in 1924--retroactively awarded Olympic status--that ice speed skating reached the Olympic programme . Charles Jewtraw from Lake Placid, New York, won the first Olympic gold medal, though several Norwegians in attendance claimed Oskar Olsen had clocked a better time . Timing issues on the 500 were a problem within the sport until electronic clocks arrived in the 1960s; during the 1936 Olympic 500--metre race, it was suggested that Ivar Ballangrud's 500 - metre time was almost a second too good . Finland won the remaining four gold medals at the 1924 Games, with Clas Thunberg winning 1,500 metres, 5,000 metres, and allround . It was the first and only time an allround Olympic gold medal has been awarded in speed skating . Speed Skating is also a sport in today's Olympics . </P> <P> Norwegian and Finnish skaters won all the gold medals in world championships between the world wars, with Latvians and Austrians visiting the podium in the European Championships . However, North American races were usually conducted packstyle, similar to the marathon races in the Netherlands, but the Olympic races were to be held over the four ISU - approved distances . The ISU approved the suggestion that the speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics should be held as packstyle races, and Americans won all four gold medals . Canada won five medals, all silver and bronze, while defending World Champion Clas Thunberg stayed at home, protesting against this form of racing . At the World Championships held immediately after the games, without the American champions, Norwegian racers won all four distances and occupied the three top spots in the allround standings . </P>

When did speed skating become an olympic sport
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