Saint-Moritz, 13 February 1928: Julius SKUTNABB of Finland (in the foreground), silver medallist, in action in the speed skating 5000m event during the II Olympic Winter Games. Credit: IOC Olympic Museum CollectionsBorn: 12 June 1889
Deceased: 26 February 1965
Birthplace: N/A
Nationality: Finland
Sport: Skating
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Chamonix 1924
St. Moritz 1928
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 1
Silver: 2
Bronze: 1
Other results:
World Championships
Bronze: 1 (24)
European Championships
Gold: 1 (26)
Late bloomer on ice
Speed skater Julius Skutnabb competed in his first world championship in 1914. His promising career was then interrupted by World War I. When international competition began again in 1922, Skutnabb, who made his living as a fireman, was already 32 years old. At the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix in 1924, he took part in every speed skating event. He earned a silver medal in the 5,000m race and placed tenth in the 500m. He finished fourth in the 1,500m, missing a medal by one second. But he also won the 10, 000m, finishing three seconds ahead of fellow Finn, Clas Thunberg. The Chamonix Games were the only ones at which a combined event was contested. Based on his results in the four individual races, Skutnabb earned a bronze medal in the combined. Skutnabb won the all-around title at the 1926 European Championships and then returned to the Olympics in 1928. Competing only in the 5,000m race, he earned another silver medal to become, at age 38, the oldest male speed skater ever to win a medal at the Olympics.
