John Farrell (speed skating)
Encyclopedia
John O'Neil Farrell (28 August 1906 – 20 June 1994) was an American
speed skater
and speed skating coach.
John Farrell participated in the 1928 Winter Olympics
of St. Moritz
. On the 500 m, he skated in the first pair and promptly set a new Olympic record with a time of 43.6 seconds, breaking Charles Jewtraw
's old record of 44.0 seconds. The record would not stand, though, because in the next pair, Clas Thunberg
skated 43.4 seconds, and in the eighth pair, Bernt Evensen
also skated 43.4. But since nobody else besides those two skated faster than 43.6, Farrell won the bronze medal.
At the 1932 Winter Olympics
of Lake Placid
, the speed skating events were skated in packstyle format (having all competitors skate at the same time) for the only time in Olympic history. Farrell qualified for the final in his heat, but he finished in sixth (and last) place in the final. Two weeks later, he finished fourteenth at the 1932 World Allround Championships
, also in Lake Placid. At the 1936 Winter Olympics
of Garmisch-Partenkirchen
, Farrell was coach of the United States speed skating team.
Farrell also was a National Outdoor Champion. He was inducted in the National Speedskating Hall of Fame in 1971.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
speed skater
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
and speed skating coach.
John Farrell participated in the 1928 Winter Olympics
1928 Winter Olympics
The 1928 Winter Olympics, officially known as the II Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 11–19, 1928 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The 1928 Games were the first true Winter Olympics held on its own as they were not in conjunction with a Summer Olympics...
of St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
. On the 500 m, he skated in the first pair and promptly set a new Olympic record with a time of 43.6 seconds, breaking Charles Jewtraw
Charles Jewtraw
Charles Jewtraw was an American speed skater, best known for being first recipient of a gold medal at the first Winter Olympics.-Biography:...
's old record of 44.0 seconds. The record would not stand, though, because in the next pair, Clas Thunberg
Clas Thunberg
Arnold Clas Robert Thunberg was a Finnish speed skater who won five Olympic gold medals – three at the inaugural Winter Olympics held in Chamonix in 1924 and two at the 1928 Winter Olympics held in St. Moritz...
skated 43.4 seconds, and in the eighth pair, Bernt Evensen
Bernt Evensen
Bernt Sverre Evensen was a Norwegian speed skater and racing cyclist.At the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Bernt Evensen became the first Norwegian skater to win an Olympic gold medal by winning gold on the 500 m Bernt Sverre Evensen (8 April 1905 in Kristiania (Oslo) – 24 August 1979)...
also skated 43.4. But since nobody else besides those two skated faster than 43.6, Farrell won the bronze medal.
At the 1932 Winter Olympics
1932 Winter Olympics
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 15. It would be the first winter olympics held in the United...
of Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
, the speed skating events were skated in packstyle format (having all competitors skate at the same time) for the only time in Olympic history. Farrell qualified for the final in his heat, but he finished in sixth (and last) place in the final. Two weeks later, he finished fourteenth at the 1932 World Allround Championships
World Allround Speed Skating Championships
The World Allround Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of the world...
, also in Lake Placid. At the 1936 Winter Olympics
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
of Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria...
, Farrell was coach of the United States speed skating team.
Farrell also was a National Outdoor Champion. He was inducted in the National Speedskating Hall of Fame in 1971.